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Journal Article•DOI•

Life history and the ecology of stress: how do glucocorticoid hormones influence life-history variation in animals?

Erica J. Crespi1, Tony D. Williams2, Tim S. Jessop3, Brendan Delehanty4•
Washington State University1, Simon Fraser University2, University of Melbourne3, University of Toronto4
01 Feb 2013-Functional Ecology (Wiley/Blackwell (10.1111))-Vol. 27, Iss: 1, pp 93-106
TL;DR: It is proposed that GC effects on life-history transitions, survival probabilities and fecundity can be modelled in existing quantitative demographic frameworks to improve the understanding of how GC variation influences life- history evolution and GC-mediated effects on population dynamics.
Abstract: Summary 1. Glucocorticoids hormones (GCs) are intuitively important for mediation of age-dependent vertebrate life-history transitions through their effects on ontogeny alongside underpinning variation in life-history traits and trade-offs in vertebrates. These concepts largely derive from the ability of GCs to alter energy allocation, physiology and behaviour that influences key life-history traits involving age-specific life-history transitions, reproduction and survival. 2. Studies across vertebrates have shown that the neuroendocrine stress axis plays a role in the developmental processes that lead up to age-specific early life-history transitions. While environmental sensitivity of the stress axis allows for it to modulate the timing of these transitions within species, little is known as to how variation in stress axis function has been adapted to produce interspecific variation in the timing of life-history transitions. 3. Our assessment of the literature confirms that of previous reviews that there is only equivocal evidence for correlative or direct functional relationships between GCs and variation in reproduction and survival. We conclude that the relationships between GCs and life-history traits are complex and general patterns cannot be easily discerned with current research approaches and experimental designs. 4. We identify several future research directions including: (i) integration of proximate and ultimate measures, including longitudinal studies that measure effects of GCs on more than one life-history trait or in multiple environmental contexts, to test explicit hypotheses about how GCs and life-history variation are related and (ii) the measurement of additional factors that modulate the effects of GCs on life-history traits (e.g. GC receptors and binding protein levels) to better infer neurendocrine stress axis actions. 5. Conceptual models of HPA/I axis actions, such as allostatic load and reactive scope, to some extent explicitly predict the role of GCs in a life-history context, but are descriptive in nature. We propose that GC effects on life-history transitions, survival probabilities and fecundity can be modelled in existing quantitative demographic frameworks to improve our understanding of how GC variation influences life-history evolution and GC-mediated effects on population dynamics

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Reference Entry•DOI•
Life history theory and evolutionary psychology.

[...]

Marco Del Giudice1, Steven W. Gangestad1, Hillard Kaplan1•
University of New Mexico1
18 Nov 2015
TL;DR: An overview of life history theory and its main psychological applications can be found in this article, where basic trade-offs in life history allocations are discussed and the concept of Life History Strategies is introduced.
Abstract: In this chapter we present an overview of life history theory and review its main psychological applications. We first discuss basic trade-offs in life history allocations and introduce the concept of life history strategies. We then consider the evolution of life history strategies at the population level and their development at the individual level. Next, we explore the question of which physiological and psychological mechanisms mediate the development and organization of life history strategies. Finally, we review current applications of life history theory to human growth and development, individual differences in developmental trajectories, personality, and psychopathology. We conclude with a summary of the theoretical and empirical challenges facing future research in this area. Keywords: development; life history theory; personality; psychology; psychopathology

741 citations

Journal Article•DOI•
Measures of physiological stress: a transparent or opaque window into the status, management and conservation of species?

[...]

Ben Dantzer1, Ben Dantzer2, Quinn E. Fletcher3, Rudy Boonstra4, Michael J. Sheriff5 •
University of Michigan1, University of Cambridge2, Université du Québec à Rimouski3, University of Toronto4, Pennsylvania State University5
01 Jan 2014-Conservation Physiology
TL;DR: A meta-analysis shows that human activities consistently increase stress hormone levels across vertebrates, and five questions should be considered about the use of stress hormone measurements in conservation physiology are discussed.
Abstract: Conservation physiology proposes that measures of physiological stress (glucocorticoid levels) can be used to assess the status and future fate of natural populations. Increases in glucocorticoids may reflect a more challenging environment, suggesting that the influence of human activities on free-living animals could be quantified by measuring glucocorticoids. Biomedical studies suggest that chronic increases in glucocorticoids can have detrimental effects on survival and reproduction, which could influence the viability of populations. Here, we discuss the use of measurements of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology. We first provide an overview of the different methods to quantify glucocorticoids and their utility in conservation physiology. We then discuss five questions we think are essential for conservation physiologists to address. We highlight how intrinsic (e.g. sex, reproductive status, age, recent experiences) and ecological factors (e.g. predation, food availability, snowfall) can, by themselves or through their interactions with anthropogenic disturbances, affect the physiological stress response and mask any general patterns about the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on glucocorticoids. Using a meta-analysis, we show that anthropogenic disturbances are consistently associated with increased glucocorticoids regardless of the type of human disturbance. We also show that males may be more sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances than females and that faecal glucocorticoids, but not baseline plasma glucocorticoids, consistently increase in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Finally, we discuss how increases in glucocorticoids in free-living animals can sometimes enhance survival and reproduction. Unfortunately, our literature analysis indicates that this observation has not yet gained traction, and very few studies have shown that increases in glucocorticoid levels resulting from anthropogenic disturbances decrease survival or reproduction. We think that the use of measures of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology has tremendous potential, but there are still a number of methodological concerns, in addition to several crucial questions that should be addressed.

325 citations

Cites background from "Life history and the ecology of str..."

  • ...(B) The percentage of these studies that cited recent reviews (Breuner et al., 2008; Bonier et al., 2009; Crespi et al., 2013) about the relationships between baseline or stressinduced glucocorticoid levels and survival or reproduction in free-living animals in these different research fields....

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  • ...…consequences of chronic stress have spurred many ecological studies focused on testing the assumption that fitness is negatively associated with baseline or stress-induced glucocorticoid levels (reviewed by Moore and Jessop, 2003; Breuner et al., 2008; Bonier et al., 2009; Crespi et al., 2013)....

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  • ...…and respond to both predictable and unpredictable perturbations in their environment, and they are closely tied to individual performance and fitness, and perhaps to population dynamics (Boonstra et al., 1998; Moore and Jessop, 2003; Breuner et al., 2008; Bonier et al., 2009; Crespi et al., 2013)....

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  • ...4B) published in the major journals in conservation, ecology and evolution cite one of the major review papers highlighting these inconsistencies (Breuner et al., 2008; Bonier et al., 2009; Crespi et al., 2013)....

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  • ...Insights from biomedical research about the negative consequences of chronic stress have spurred many ecological studies focused on testing the assumption that fitness is negatively associated with baseline or stress-induced glucocorticoid levels (reviewed by Moore and Jessop, 2003; Breuner et al., 2008; Bonier et al., 2009; Crespi et al., 2013)....

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Themed Issue Article: Stress in Vertebrates Measures of physiological stress: a transparent or opaque window into the status, management and conservation of species?

[...]

Ben Dantzer, Quinn E. Fletcher, Rudy Boonstra, Michael J. Sheriff
01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: The use of measurements of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology has been discussed in this paper, where the authors show that anthropogenic disturbances are consistently associated with increased glucoc corticoid levels regardless of the type of human disturbance.
Abstract: Conservation physiology proposes that measures of physiological stress (glucocorticoid levels) can be used to assess the status and future fate of natural populations. Increases in glucocorticoids may reflect a more challenging environment, suggest ing that the influence of human activities on free-living animals could be quantified by measuring glucocorticoids. Biomedical studies suggest that chronic increases in glucocorticoids can have detrimental effects on survival and reproduction, which could influence the viability of populations. Here, we discuss the use of measurements of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology. We first provide an overview of the different methods to quantify glucocorticoids and their utility in conservation physiology. We then discuss five questions we think are essential for conservation physiologists to address. We highlight how intrinsic (e.g. sex, reproductive status, age, recent experiences) and ecological factors (e.g. predation, food availability, snowfall) can, by themselves or through their interactions with anthropogenic disturbances, affect the physiological stress response and mask any general patterns about the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on glucocorticoids. Using a meta-analysis, we show that anthropogenic disturbances are consistently associated with increased glucocorticoids regardless of the type of human disturbance. We also show that males may be more sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances than females and that faecal glucocorticoids, but not baseline plasma glucocorticoids, consistently increase in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Finally, we discuss how increases in glucocorticoids in free-living animals can sometimes enhance survival and reproduction. Unfortunately, our literature analysis indicates that this observation has not yet gained traction, and very few studies have shown that increases in glucocorticoid levels resulting from anthropogenic disturbances decrease survival or reproduction. We think that the use of measures of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology has tremendous potential, but there are still a number of methodological concerns, in addition to several crucial questions that should be addressed.

250 citations

Book Chapter•DOI•
Glucocorticoid-Mediated Phenotypes in Vertebrates : Multilevel Variation and Evolution

[...]

Michaela Hau1, Stefania Casagrande1, Jenny Q. Ouyang, Alexander T. Baugh2•
Max Planck Society1, Swarthmore College2
31 Dec 2016-Advances in The Study of Behavior
TL;DR: This chapter was originally published in the book Advances in the Study of Behavior, Volume 48, and is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of theAuthor's institution, for non-commercial research, and educational use.
Abstract: This chapter was originally published in the book Advances in the Study of Behavior, Volume 48. The copy attached is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of the author's institution, for non-commercial research, and educational use. This includes without limitation use in instruction at your institution, distribution to specific colleagues, and providing a copy to your institution's administrator.

141 citations

Cites background or result from "Life history and the ecology of str..."

  • ...However, other studies were not able to find such relationships and several recent larger analyses have concluded that the evidence for relationships of GCs with fitness across studies and taxa is mixed (Bonier, Martin, et al., 2009; Breuner, Patterson, & Hahn, 2008; Crespi et al., 2013)....

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  • ...However, where relevant, we also emphasize emerging knowledge of interactions among the different levels of the HPA axis (Crespi et al., 2013)....

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  • ...…2016, 41e115 we know that the functions of GCs can vary with life-history stage, ecological context, age, sex, and other factors (Beletsky, Orians, &Wingfield, 1992; Bonier, Moore, et al., 2009; Crespi et al., 2013; Crossin et al., 2016; Romero, 2002; Spencer & MacDougall-Shackleton, 2011)....

    [...]

  • ...Such effects may be particularly strong for traits involved in life-history trade-offs or for linked traits (Miles, Sinervo, Hazard, Svensson, & Costa, 2007; Sinervo & Svensson, 1998) including those mediated by GCs (Crespi et al., 2013; Crossin et al., 2016)....

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  • ...Moreover, the standard baseline and restraintinduced circulating GC concentrations, which have been heavily studied, may not be the only relevant endocrine traits to examine (Crespi et al., 2013; Hau & Goymann, 2015; Romero & Wikelski, 2010; Williams, 2008)....

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Journal Article•DOI•
Determinants of uncertainty in wildlife responses to human disturbance

[...]

Zulima Tablado1, Lukas Jenni1•
Swiss Ornithological Institute1
01 Feb 2017-Biological Reviews
TL;DR: A comprehensive compilation of factors modulating animal responses to humans at increasing levels is presented, which may help understanding the uncertainty in the patterns of general patterns in human–wildlife encounters across habitats.
Abstract: Outdoor recreation is increasing in intensity and space. Areas previously inaccessible are now being visited by ever-growing numbers of people, which increases human-wildlife encounters across habitats. This has raised concern among researchers and conservationists as, even in non-aggressive encounters, animals often perceive humans as predators and mount physiological and behavioural responses that can have negative consequences. However, despite all the research in recent decades, not many general patterns have emerged, especially at the level of populations, and many studies have yielded seemingly contradictory or inconclusive results. We argue that this is partly due to incomplete knowledge of the number and complexity of factors that may modulate the responses of animals. Thus, we aim to provide a conceptual approach intended to highlight the reasons that make it difficult to detect general patterns. We present a comprehensive compilation of factors modulating animal responses to humans at increasing levels (from sensory detection and immediate behavioural and physiological reactions, to changes in fitness and population trends), which may help understanding the uncertainty in the patterns. We observed that there are many modulating factors, which can be categorized as reflecting characteristics of the recreational activity itself (e.g. intensity of human presence), of the animals concerned (e.g. age or antipredatory strategy), and of the spatio-temporal context (e.g. habitat or timing of the encounter). Some factors appear to have non-linear and complex effects, which, if not considered, may lead to erroneous conclusions. Finally, we conclude that the difficulty in finding general patterns will be amplified at higher levels (i.e. at the level of populations), since as we proceed from one level to the next, the number of potential modulating factors accumulates, adding noise and obscuring direct associations between recreation and wildlife. More comprehensive knowledge about which (and how) factors affect animal responses across levels will certainly improve future research design and interpretation, and thus, our understanding of human recreational impacts on wildlife.

117 citations

Cites background from "Life history and the ecology of str..."

  • ...…effects will depend on the abundance and distribution of CORT receptors in different organs (Bellingham, Sar & Cidlowski, 1992; Kapoor et al., 2006; Crespi et al., 2013; Lattin et al., 2015) and the action of CORT binding globulins (a plasma protein that binds CORT with high affinity and can…...

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  • ...These effects will depend on the abundance and distribution of CORT receptors in different organs (Bellingham, Sar & Cidlowski, 1992; Kapoor et al., 2006; Crespi et al., 2013; Lattin et al., 2015) and the action of CORT binding globulins (a plasma protein that binds CORT with high affinity and can regulate CORT delivery and availability at specific sites) (Breuner & Orchinik, 2002; Malisch & Breuner, 2010; but see Schoech et al....

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References
More filters
Journal Article•DOI•
The evolution of life histories

[...]

Stephen C. Stearns
01 Oct 1993-Journal of Animal Ecology
TL;DR: In this article, age and size at maturity at maturity number and size of offspring Reproductive lifespan and ageing are discussed. But the authors focus on the effects of age and stage structure on fertility.
Abstract: Prologue Part I: Evolutionary explanation Demography: age and stage structure Quantitative genetics and reaction norms Trade-offs Lineage-specific effects Part II: Age and size at maturity Number and size of offspring Reproductive lifespan and ageing Appendices Glossary References Author index Subject index.

10,338 citations

Journal Article•DOI•
How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Integrating permissive, suppressive, stimulatory, and preparative actions.

[...]

Robert M. Sapolsky1, L. Michael Romero2, Allan Munck3•
Stanford University1, Tufts University2, Dartmouth College3
01 Feb 2000-Endocrine Reviews
TL;DR: This review considers recent findings regarding GC action and generates criteria for determining whether a particular GC action permits, stimulates, or suppresses an ongoing stress-response or, as an additional category, is preparative for a subsequent stressor.
Abstract: The secretion of glucocorticoids (GCs) is a classic endocrine response to stress. Despite that, it remains controversial as to what purpose GCs serve at such times. One view, stretching back to the time of Hans Selye, posits that GCs help mediate the ongoing or pending stress response, either via basal levels of GCs permitting other facets of the stress response to emerge efficaciously, and/or by stress levels of GCs actively stimulating the stress response. In contrast, a revisionist viewpoint posits that GCs suppress the stress response, preventing it from being pathologically overactivated. In this review, we consider recent findings regarding GC action and, based on them, generate criteria for determining whether a particular GC action permits, stimulates, or suppresses an ongoing stressresponse or, as an additional category, is preparative for a subsequent stressor. We apply these GC actions to the realms of cardiovascular function, fluid volume and hemorrhage, immunity and inflammation, metabolism, neurobiology, and reproductive physiology. We find that GC actions fall into markedly different categories, depending on the physiological endpoint in question, with evidence for mediating effects in some cases, and suppressive or preparative in others. We then attempt to assimilate these heterogeneous GC actions into a physiological whole. (Endocrine Reviews 21: 55‐ 89, 2000)

6,707 citations

Book•
Evolution in changing environments

[...]

Richard Levins
01 Jan 1968

3,943 citations

"Life history and the ecology of str..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Given the emphasis on energetics in life-history theory (Levins 1968; Sibly & Calow 1986), the first conceptual model that integrated HPA/I axis activity, variation in life-history stages and fitness to understand how animals adjust their physiology to intrinsic and extrinsic changes was the ‘allostatic load model’ (McEwen & Wingfield 2003, 2010)....

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  • ...Conceptual models of HPA/I activity and lifehistory transition and variation Given the emphasis on energetics in life-history theory (Levins 1968; Sibly & Calow 1986), the first conceptual model that integrated HPA/I axis activity, variation in life-history stages and fitness to understand how…...

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Book•DOI•
Evolution in Changing Environments: Some Theoretical Explorations. (MPB-2)

[...]

Richard Levins
31 Dec 1968
TL;DR: Professor Levins, one of the leading explorers in the field of integrated population biology, considers the mutual interpenetration and joint evolution of organism and environment, occurring on several levels at once.
Abstract: Professor Levins, one of the leading explorers in the field of integrated population biology, considers the mutual interpenetration and joint evolution of organism and environment, occurring on several levels at once. Physiological and behavioral adaptations to short-term fluctuations of the environment condition the responses of populations to long-term changes and geographic gradients. These in turn affect the way species divide the environments among themselves in communities, and, therefore, the numbers of species which can coexist. Environment is treated here abstractly as pattern: patchiness, variability, range, etc. Populations are studied in their patterns: local heterogeneity, geographic variability, faunistic diversity, etc.

3,628 citations

"Life history and the ecology of str..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Conceptual models of HPA/I activity and lifehistory transition and variation Given the emphasis on energetics in life-history theory (Levins 1968; Sibly & Calow 1986), the first conceptual model that integrated HPA/I axis activity, variation in life-history stages and fitness to understand how…...

    [...]

Book•
Applied Survival Analysis: Regression Modeling of Time-to-Event Data

[...]

David W. Hosmer1, Stanley Lemeshow2, Susanne May3•
University of Massachusetts Amherst1, Ohio State University2, University of California, San Diego3
07 Mar 2008
TL;DR: Applied Survival Analysis, Second Edition is an ideal book for graduate-level courses in biostatistics, statistics, and epidemiologic methods and serves as a valuable reference for practitioners and researchers in any health-related field or for professionals in insurance and government.
Abstract: THE MOST PRACTICAL, UP-TO-DATE GUIDE TO MODELLING AND ANALYZING TIME-TO-EVENT DATANOW IN A VALUABLE NEW EDITION Since publication of the first edition nearly a decade ago, analyses using time-to-event methods have increase considerably in all areas of scientific inquiry mainly as a result of model-building methods available in modern statistical software packages. However, there has been minimal coverage in the available literature to9 guide researchers, practitioners, and students who wish to apply these methods to health-related areas of study. Applied Survival Analysis, Second Edition provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to regression modeling for time-to-event data in medical, epidemiological, biostatistical, and other health-related research. This book places a unique emphasis on the practical and contemporary applications of regression modeling rather than the mathematical theory. It offers a clear and accessible presentation of modern modeling techniques supplemented with real-world examples and case studies. Key topics covered include: variable selection, identification of the scale of continuous covariates, the role of interactions in the model, assessment of fit and model assumptions, regression diagnostics, recurrent event models, frailty models, additive models, competing risk models, and missing data. Features of the Second Edition include: Expanded coverage of interactions and the covariate-adjusted survival functions The use of the Worchester Heart Attack Study as the main modeling data set for illustrating discussed concepts and techniques New discussion of variable selection with multivariable fractional polynomials Further exploration of time-varying covariates, complex with examples Additional treatment of the exponential, Weibull, and log-logistic parametric regression models Increased emphasis on interpreting and using results as well as utilizing multiple imputation methods to analyze data with missing values New examples and exercises at the end of each chapter Analyses throughout the text are performed using Stata Version 9, and an accompanying FTP site contains the data sets used in the book. Applied Survival Analysis, Second Edition is an ideal book for graduate-level courses in biostatistics, statistics, and epidemiologic methods. It also serves as a valuable reference for practitioners and researchers in any health-related field or for professionals in insurance and government.

3,507 citations

Related Papers (5)
How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Integrating permissive, suppressive, stimulatory, and preparative actions.

[...]

01 Feb 2000-Endocrine Reviews
Robert M. Sapolsky, L. Michael Romero, Allan Munck
Physiological stress in ecology: lessons from biomedical research

[...]

01 May 2004-Trends in Ecology and Evolution
L. Michael Romero
The concept of allostasis in biology and biomedicine.

[...]

01 Jan 2003-Hormones and Behavior
Bruce S. McEwen, John C. Wingfield
Ecological bases of hormone-behavior interactions : the emergency life history stage

[...]

01 Feb 1998-Integrative and Comparative Biology
John C. Wingfield, Donna L. Maney, Creagh W. Breuner, Jerry Jacobs, Sharon E. Lynn, Marilyn Ramenofsky, Ralph D. Richardson 
The Reactive Scope Model - a new model integrating homeostasis, allostasis, and stress.

[...]

01 Mar 2009-Hormones and Behavior
L. Michael Romero, Molly J. Dickens, Nicole E. Cyr