Institute of Biology, Dep. Zoology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Institute of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
Institute of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2021 Aug 1;533:111315. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111315. Epub 2021 May 28.
Our knowledge of the perception of stress and its implications for animals in the wild is limited, especially in regard to mammals. The aim of this study was therefore to identify sex specific effects of reproductive activity, body mass, food availability and hibernation on stress hormone levels in the edible dormouse (Glis glis), a small mammalian hibernator. Results of our study reveal that reproductive activity and pre-hibernation fattening were associated with high cortisol levels in both sexes. During the mating season, in particular individuals with low body masses had higher stress levels. Elevated levels of cortisol during pre-hibernation fattening were even higher in females that had formerly invested into reproduction compared to non-reproductive females. Previously observed impairments on health parameters and reduced survival rates associated with reproduction emphasize the functional relevance of high stress hormone levels for fitness. Prolonged food limitation, however, did not affect stress levels demonstrating the ability of dormice to predict and cope with food restriction.
我们对压力感知及其对野生动物的影响知之甚少，特别是对哺乳动物。因此，本研究的目的是确定生殖活动、体重、食物供应和冬眠对小型哺乳动物冬眠者——欧洲睡鼠（Glis glis）应激激素水平的性别特异性影响。研究结果表明，生殖活动和冬眠前增肥与两性的皮质醇水平升高有关。在交配季节，特别是体重较低的个体，其压力水平更高。与非生殖性雌性相比，以前有繁殖投资的雌性在冬眠前增肥期间皮质醇水平更高。先前观察到的与繁殖相关的健康参数受损和存活率降低，强调了高应激激素水平对适应性的功能相关性。然而，长时间的食物限制并不会影响压力水平，这表明睡鼠有能力预测和应对食物限制。
