Plains zebra (Equus quagga) adrenocortical activity increases during times of large aggregations in the Serengeti ecosystem

dc.contributor.authorSeeber, P.A.
dc.contributor.authorFranz, M.
dc.contributor.authorDehnhard, M.
dc.contributor.authorGanswindt, Andre
dc.contributor.authorGreenwood, A.D.
dc.contributor.authorEast, M.L.
dc.date.accessioned2018-05-08T12:46:57Z
dc.date.issued2018-06
dc.description.abstractAdverse environmental stimuli (stressors) activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and contribute to allostatic load. This study investigates the contribution of environmental stressors and life history stage to allostatic load in a migratory population of plains zebras (Equus quagga) in the Serengeti ecosystem, in Tanzania, which experiences large local variations in aggregation. We expected higher fGCM response to the environmental stressors of feeding competition, predation pressure and unpredictable social relationships in larger than in smaller aggregations, and in animals at energetically costly life history stages. As the study was conducted during the 2016 El Niño, we did not expect food quality of forage or a lack of water to strongly affect fGCM responses in the dry season. We measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) targeting 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone and validated its reliability in captive plains zebras. Our results revealed significantly higher fGCM concentrations 1) in large aggregations than in smaller groupings, and 2) in band stallions than in bachelor males. Concentrations of fGCM were not significantly higher in females at the energetically costly life stage of late pregnancy/lactation. The higher allostatic load of stallions associated with females, than bachelor males is likely caused by social stressors. In conclusion, migratory zebras have elevated allostatic loads in large aggregations that probably result from their combined responses to increased feeding competition, predation pressure and various social stressors. Further research is required to disentangle the contribution of these stressors to allostatic load in migratory populations.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentAnatomy and Physiologyen_ZA
dc.description.departmentMammal Research Instituteen_ZA
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomologyen_ZA
dc.description.embargo2019-06-01
dc.description.librarianhj2018en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipA grant from the Leibniz Gemeinschaft (SAW-2015-IZW-1 440) and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/yhbehen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSeeber, P.A., Franz, M., Dehnhard. M. et al. 2018, 'Plains zebra (Equus quagga) adrenocortical activity increases during times of large aggregations in the Serengeti ecosystem', Hormones and Behavior, vol. 102, pp. 1-9.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0018-506X (print)
dc.identifier.issn1095-6867 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.04.005
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/64790
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherElsevieren_ZA
dc.rights© 2018 Elsevier. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Hormones and Behavior. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Hormones and Behavior, vol. 102, pp. 1-9, 2018. doi : 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.04.005.en_ZA
dc.subjectAggregationen_ZA
dc.subjectAllostatic loaden_ZA
dc.subjectGlucocorticoidsen_ZA
dc.subjectNon-invasive hormone monitoringen_ZA
dc.subjectPlains zebra (Equus quagga)en_ZA
dc.subjectSerengeti National Park, Tanzaniaen_ZA
dc.subjectEnzyme immunoassay (EIA)en_ZA
dc.subjectFecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM)en_ZA
dc.titlePlains zebra (Equus quagga) adrenocortical activity increases during times of large aggregations in the Serengeti ecosystemen_ZA
dc.typePostprint Articleen_ZA

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