Corticosterone, Reproductive Status, and Body Mass in a Cooperative Breeder, the Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

1997 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan J. Schoech ◽  
Ronald L. Mumme ◽  
John C. Wingfield
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Florida Scrub ◽  
Aphelocoma Coerulescens

Are roads and traffic sources of physiological stress for the Florida scrub-jay?

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina M. Morgan ◽  
Travis E. Wilcoxen ◽  
Michelle A. Rensel ◽  
Stephan J. Schoech
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Condition Index ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Florida Scrub ◽  
The Road ◽  
Threatened And Endangered Species ◽  
Chronic Stressor

Context Anthropogenic disturbances induce physiological and behavioural responses in numerous species. The negative effects of human disturbance are of special concern to threatened and endangered species. Aims The present study aims to compare physiological stress measures and reproductive success of Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) living near roads with jays that live away from roads. Specifically, it aims to test whether roads are stressful. Methods We assessed physiological measures that can serve as indicators of ‘stress’ to determine whether a highway that bisects our study site had physiological effects on adult male Florida scrub-jays. We captured male breeders from three territory types, including scrub habitat that (1) bordered a highway with a grassy shoulder that created an ‘edge’ habitat (roadside), (2) bordered human-maintained habitat (a plowed firebreak of sand with adjacent pasture) that served as a control for the edge-effect of the road (pasture) and (3) contained only natural scrub habitat (interior). We measured baseline concentrations of the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT), body mass, and a suite of longitudinal body measures to generate a body condition index in males from each territory type over three breeding seasons. Key results Roadside jays had greater body mass than did interior and pasture jays, although there were no differences in overall baseline CORT concentrations or body condition among territory classes. There was no difference in clutch initiation date or size and nestling and independent-young survival. Conclusions Our results suggest that the road through our study site has physiological effects on Florida scrub-jays; however, there is mixed evidence as to whether it acts as a chronic stressor. Implications Our findings provide evidence that roads and road-associated disturbance has neutral or potentially beneficial physiological effects of roads on Florida scrub-jays. Knowledge of these effects of roads and disturbance on jays will hopefully provide additional opportunities to improve conservation of this species.

Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glen E. Woolfenden ◽  
John W. Fitzpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Florida Scrub ◽  
Aphelocoma Coerulescens

Effect of Hibernation and Reproductive Status on Body Mass and Condition of Coastal Brown Bears

2000 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant V. Hilderbrand ◽  
Charles C. Schwartz ◽  
Charles T. Robbins ◽  
Thomas A. Hanley
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Brown Bears
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