Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 102 Johnson Hall, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
Commun Biol. 2022 Jul 14;5(1):630. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03574-8.
Social relationships have physiological impacts. Here, we investigate whether loss of the mother/offspring relationship has lasting effects on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations in wild African elephant orphans several years following their mothers' deaths. We find no difference in fGCM concentrations between orphans and nonorphans, but find lower fGCM concentrations in elephants with more age mates in their family. We also unexpectedly identify lower concentrations in orphans without their natal family versus nonorphans and natal orphans, which we speculate may be due to the development of hypocortisolism following a prolonged period without familial support. An index of plant productivity (i.e. food) shows the largest correlation with fGCM concentrations. Our findings indicate no lasting differences in glucocorticoid concentrations of surviving orphan elephants who are with their family, suggest the presence of age mates may reduce glucocorticoid concentrations in elephants, and emphasize that basic survival needs are the primary regulators of the stress response.
社会关系具有生理影响。在这里，我们调查了在母亲/子女关系丧失后数年，野生非洲象孤儿的粪便皮质醇代谢物（fGCM）浓度是否会持续受到影响。我们发现孤儿和非孤儿之间的 fGCM 浓度没有差异，但在家庭中年龄相近的大象中，fGCM 浓度较低。我们还意外地发现，与非孤儿和亲生孤儿相比，没有亲生家庭的孤儿的浓度较低，我们推测这可能是由于在没有家庭支持的长期情况下，皮质醇功能减退症的发展所致。植物生产力（即食物）指数与 fGCM 浓度相关性最大。我们的研究结果表明，与家人在一起的幸存孤儿大象的糖皮质激素浓度没有持久差异，表明年龄相近的大象可能会降低大象的皮质醇浓度，并强调基本的生存需求是应激反应的主要调节因素。
