Validation of water-borne steroid hormones in a tropical frog (Physalaemus pustulosus)

Baugh, Alexander T.; Bastien, Brandon; Still, Meghan B.; Stowell, Nicole

doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.01.025

Cited by 35 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…In other studies, animals were injected with ACTH, the secretagogue of corticosterone, to produce a maximal increase in corticosterone. For example, San Marcos salamanders and Túngara frogs produced detectible increases in water‐borne corticosterone levels after ACTH injections (Baugh et al, ; Gabor et al, ). Along with water‐borne levels, plasma corticosterone was elevated after ACTH injection for Túngara frogs, consistent with the hypothesis that water‐borne corticosterone shows similar patterns to plasma corticosterone (Baugh et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It also allows for sampling the same individual multiple times and over long periods of time, even of small animals that would otherwise have to be sacrificed (Scott & Ellis, 2007). Many studies have provided evidence that water-borne corticosterone provides physiologically relevant estimates that are biologically meaningful (Baugh et al, 2018;Charbonnier et al, 2018;Davis et al, 2019;Gabor et al, 2013Gabor et al, , 2015Gabor et al, , 2016Gabor et al, , 2018Holmes et al, 2016). Because water-borne hormone sampling is still a new method, additional research is necessary to determine the ideal containment time (1 hr, 2 hr, etc.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Water-borne hormone sampling is a noninvasive method originally used in fish (Félix, Faustino, Cabral, & Oliveira, 2013;Scott & Ellis, 2007), which has recently expanded to amphibians (Figure 1; Baugh, Bastien, Still, & Stowell, 2018;Gabor et al, 2013Gabor et al, , 2016. While contained in water, the animal releases corticosterone through the gills, skin, and urine that can later be extracted (Félix et al, 2013;Gabor et al, 2013;Scott & Ellis, 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most research considers water-borne hormone sampling valid for a species if it is correlated with hormone levels in plasma (Gabor et al, 2013;Scott & Ellis, 2007). Positive correlations between waterborne corticosterone and plasma corticosterone levels have been found in four amphibian species including adult Túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus;r = .46;Baugh et al, 2018), larval western tiger salamanders (r 2 = .60; Davis et al, 2019), adult San Marcos salamanders (Eurycea nana; r = .87), and adult common midwife toads (r = .86; Gabor et al, 2013). To demonstrate detection of physiologically relevant changes in corticosterone, studies often attempt to increase corticosterone in some individuals by injecting them with ACTH or by exposing them to physical agitation (Baugh et al, 2018;Gabor, Davis, Kim, Zabierek, & Bendik, 2018;Gabor et al, 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Water‐borne and plasma corticosterone are not correlated in spotted salamanders

Millikin

Woodley

Davis

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Water‐borne hormone measurement is a noninvasive method suitable for amphibians of all sizes that are otherwise difficult to sample. For this method, containment‐water is assayed for hormones released by the animal. Originally developed in fish, the method has expanded to amphibians, but requires additional species‐specific validations. We wanted to determine physiological relevance of water‐borne corticosterone in spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) by comparing concentrations to those taken using established corticosterone sampling methods, such as plasma. Using a mixture of field and laboratory studies, we compared water‐borne corticosterone levels to other traditional methods of sampling corticosterone for spotted salamander larvae, metamorphs, and adults. Despite multiple attempts, and detecting differences between age groups, we found no correlations between water‐borne and plasma corticosterone levels in any age group. Water‐borne sampling measures a rate of release; whereas plasma is the concentration circulating in the blood. The unique units of measurement may inherently prevent correlations between the two. These two methods may also require different interpretations of the data and the physiological meaning. We also note caveats with the method, including how to account for differences in body size and life history stages. Collectively, our results illustrate the importance of careful validation of water‐borne hormone levels in each species in order to understand its physiological significance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water‐borne and plasma corticosterone are not correlated in spotted salamanders

Millikin

Woodley

Davis

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Because these two hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, we also explored the potential relationship between these factors. Lastly, we investigated steroid hormone mechanisms using a non-invasive water-borne assay that was conducted alongside the behavioral assays with a protocol that has been effective in fish (Fischer et al, 2014) and amphibians (Gabor and Grober, 2011;Gabor et al, 2013;Baugh et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Waiting and Mating Game: Condition Dependent Mate Sampling in Female Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor)

et al. 2018

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Strong sexual selection by receivers can lead to the evolution of elaborate courtship behaviors in signalers. However the process by which receivers sample signalers and execute mate choice under complex signaling conditions-and thus the realized strength of sexual section-is poorly understood. Moreover, receivers can vary in condition, which can further influence mate sampling strategies. Using wild female frogs we tested two hypotheses at the intersection of these important problems: that some of the individual variation in mate sampling is explained by (1) the reproductive urgency hypothesis, which predicts that receivers in a more urgent reproductive state will sample mates less and/or (2) the reproductive investment hypothesis, which predicts that receivers that have invested less in the current reproductive effort will sample mates less. Eastern gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor, were collected in amplexus and repeatedly tested for phonotaxis behavior using a dynamic playback assay. To evaluate if hormonal mechanisms explained variation in the mate sampling, three steroid hormones, estradiol, progesterone, and corticosterone, were collected using a noninvasive water-borne hormone assay, validated for this species in the present study. Finally, we measured clutch size (investment) and the duration of time required for each female to oviposit after being reunited with their male mate (urgency). We found repeatability in many of the behaviors, including mate sampling. We found that females with higher concentrations estradiol and corticosterone made quicker choices, and that females with higher progesterone sampled mates more. We also found that female frogs in a more urgent reproductive state had lower concentrations of progesterone and estradiol, thereby providing the first evidence of a relationship between gonadal hormones and reproductive urgency. Collectively we found some support for the reproductive urgency but not the investment hypothesis. Thus, even though a female frog's reproductive readiness is a highly transient life history stage, fine scale variation in her reproductive timeline could mitigate the strength of directional selection.

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Exposure to glucocorticoids alters life history strategies in a facultatively paedomorphic salamander

2021

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Polyphenisms, where two or more alternative, environmentally‐cued phenotypes are produced from the same genotype, arise through variability in the developmental rate and timing of phenotypic traits. Many of these developmental processes are controlled or influenced by endogenous hormones, such as glucocorticoids, which are known to regulate a wide array of vertebrate ontogenetic transitions. Using the mole salamander, Ambystoma talpoideum, as a model, we investigated the role of glucocorticoids in regulating facultative paedomorphosis, an ontogenetic polyphenism where individuals may delay metamorphosis into terrestrial adults. Instead, individuals reproduce as aquatic paedomorphic adults. Paedomorphosis often occurs when aquatic conditions remain favorable, while metamorphosis typically occurs in response to deteriorating or “stressful” aquatic conditions. Since glucocorticoids are central to the vertebrate stress response and are known to play a central role in regulating obligate metamorphosis in amphibians, we hypothesized that they are key regulators of paedomorphic life history strategies. To test this hypothesis, we compared development of larvae in outdoor mesocosms exposed to Low, Medium, and High exogenous doses of corticosterone (CORT). Results revealed that body size and the proportion of paedomorphs were both inversely proportional to exogenous CORT doses and whole‐body CORT content. Consistent with known effects of CORT on obligate metamorphosis in amphibians, our results link glucocorticoids to ontogenetic transitions in facultatively paedomorphic salamanders. We discuss our results in the context of theoretical models and the suite of environmental cues known to influence facultative paedomorphosis.

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Validation of water-borne steroid hormones in a tropical frog (Physalaemus pustulosus)

Cited by 35 publications

References 64 publications

Water‐borne and plasma corticosterone are not correlated in spotted salamanders

Water‐borne and plasma corticosterone are not correlated in spotted salamanders

The Waiting and Mating Game: Condition Dependent Mate Sampling in Female Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor)

Exposure to glucocorticoids alters life history strategies in a facultatively paedomorphic salamander

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