Introductory Lecture (Part 1): Wildlife Endocrinology Flashcards
(45 cards)
Wildlife endocrinology?
= the study of hormones & endocrine systems in wild animals.
Wildlife endocrinology attributes? (7)
- Involves understanding the role of hormones in regulating behaviour in organisms.
- An umbrella term.
- Focuses on how hormones regulate important biological processes.
- Uses non-invasive methods to do so.
- Plays a key role in conservation biology, wildlife management & behavioural ecology.
- New field, especially understudied in mammals.
- Not transferable when studying other organisms.
List of the biological processes that hormones regulate? (5)
- Reproduction.
- Growth & development.
- Stress responses.
- Metabolism & energy balance.
- Seasonal behaviours.
Wildlife endocrinology categories/subdivisions? (2)
- Behavioural endocrinology.
- Conservation endocrinology.
Behavioural endocrinology?
= focuses on how hormones influence animal behaviour/on hormones that regulate animal behaviour.
Behavioural endocrinology attributes/applications? (4)
- Helps us understand hormone-behaviour links.
- Linked to steroid hormones.
- Aids in understanding the evolution of behaviour.
- Enables us to study the biological basis of behaviour in animals.
Conservation endocrinology?
= focuses on understanding the ecological & anthropogenic factors that cause hormones to be regulated.
Conservation endocrinology attributes/applications? (3)
Aids in:
- Informing conservation actions (eg., translocations).
- Monitoring population health & breeding viability.
- Assessing the impact of human activities (eg., tourism).
General process of wildlife endocrinology? (5)
Matrix (determine the appropriate one for the study)
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Faeces, urine, hair (chosen matrix preserved in ethanol)
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Extraction
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ELISA
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Data evaluation
Matrix?
= the type of biological material used to measure hormone levels.
Matrix attributes? (3)
Each matrix varies in:
- Hormone stability.
- Ease of collection.
- Timeframe of hormone integration.
Hormone stability?
= how well hormone molecules remain intact & unchanged after being excreted into a matrix & how well these molecules resist degradation by bacteria, enzymes, sunlight, heat, or time.
Low hormone stability?
= the hormone levels measured may not accurately reflect what was in the animal’s body at the time of secretion.
Why does hormone stability matter?
It matters because, in fieldwork, delays in freezing faecal/urine samples (eg., during hot weather) can lead to hormone breakdown (distorts research results).
Hormone breakdown?
= the chemical degradation of hormones after they are excreted from an animal’s body.
Things that break down hormones once they are outside the animal’s body? (5)
- Time.
- Heat & sunlight.
- Enzymes.
- Moisture.
- Bacteria.
Time & Hormone breakdown?
The longer the sample sits out before being preserved (via freezing or drying), the more hormone breakdown.
Heat and sunlight & Hormone breakdown?
Higher the temperature, the faster the hormone breakdown.
Enzymes & Hormone breakdown?
Through being present in the sample or on the animal’s skin.
Moisture & Hormone breakdown?
Through increasing microbial activity & chemical reactions.
Bacteria & Hormone breakdown?
Through metabolising hormones, thus changing their structure.
Why is hormone breakdown a problem? (3)
- Inaccurate hormone levels measured, especially for stress/reproductive hormones.
- Underestimation/Misinterpretation of physiological states.
- Reduces the reliability of comparisons across individuals/sites.
Timeframe of hormone integration?
= the period of time that hormone levels in a biological sample represent.
Importance of Hormone integration timeframe?
Helps in interpreting wildlife endocrine data as different matrices inform you of immediate, recent, or long-term hormone activity.
