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Conserv Physiol
2019 Jan 01;71:coz001. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coz001.
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Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite profiles in diademed sifakas increase during seasonal fruit scarcity with interactive effects of age/sex class and habitat degradation.
Tecot SR
,
Irwin MT
,
Raharison JL
.
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Glucocorticoids are metabolic byproducts of animals'' physiological responses to ecological or social challenges and are thought to represent an adaptive response allowing beneficial responses to short-term challenges. Glucocorticoid metabolites (GCs) can be assayed non-invasively through faeces and therefore can be a useful tool to gauge the health of populations experiencing natural and/or anthropogenic stressors. However, the response of GCs to anthropogenic stressors varies, with both higher and lower GC levels reported. Here, we describe variation in GC secretion within eight diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) groups across 1 year. These groups span a gradient of anthropogenic habitat disturbance, including groups in continuous forest (''CONT'') and disturbed fragments (''FRAG''), and indicators of health suggest that FRAG groups are negatively impacted by habitat disturbance. We monitored phenology, used focal animal follows to quantify diet and collected faeces (n = 547) from which we quantified GC content using enzyme immunoassay. All groups showed elevated lean-season GCs, but with a single, brief peak. GCs were inversely correlated with feeding time. No overall effect of habitat (CONT vs. FRAG) was found, but the lean-season peak was significantly higher in CONT groups. There was a significant season*age-sex interaction; adult females had an attenuated lean-season response compared with groupmates. The observed lean-season ''challenge'' is consistent with previous lemur studies, as well as mammals in general. Low and largely invariable GC levels in FRAG, within the context of observed health and nutritional declines, suggest that FRAG groups employ a strategy whereby the adrenal response to stressors is downregulated. More research is needed to contextualize our observations of GC variation and health on an individual level, both in terms of corroborating evidence for ecological and social stressors, and longer-term quantification of reproductive success and fitness.
Figure 1:. Map of Tsinjoarivo Forest, Madagascar, showing home range of eight Propithecus diadema study groups studied during 2008–09.
Figure 2:. Seasonal variation in production of plant parts relevant to sifakas during 2008–09 at Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar (percentage of stems bearing flowers, fruits and young leaves), showing overall dataset (solid line), as well as CONT habitat (dashed line) and FRAG habitat (dotted line).
Figure 3:. Seasonal variation in fruit availability and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations within 10 data collection cycles for Propithecus diadema at Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar. Cortisol concentrations within each data collection cycle are plotted as mean ± SE.
Figure 4:. Variation in faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentration among Propithecus diadema individuals at Tsinjoarivo occupying intact (CONT) and degraded/fragmented (FRAG) habitat in the abundant and lean seasons; sample size noted beneath each boxplot.
Figure 5:. Variation in faecal glucocorticoid metabolite among age/sex classes of Propithecus diadema across two habitats in the abundant and lean seasons at Tsinjoarivo; sample size noted beneath each boxplot.
Figure 6:. Bivariate plots illustrating the relationship between three key feeding variables and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations for Propithecus diadema at Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar; data points are averages for individuals (n = 36) within each of 10 data collection cycles (total n = 327).
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