Naturally stressed? Glucocorticoid profiles in blubber of blue and gray whales in response to life history parameters

The goal of the present study was to carry out a thorough methodological validation and describe baseline profiles for glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol and corticosterone) in blubber from blue (n = 77) and gray (n = 103) whales from the eastern North Pacific Ocean. For each species, we modelled cor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine mammal science 2022-10, Vol.38 (4), p.1524-1548
Main Authors: Melica, Valentina, Atkinson, Shannon, Calambokidis, John, Gendron, Diane, Lang, Aimee, Scordino, Jonathan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic mammals
Blubber
blue whale
Calves
Cetacea
Corticosterone
Cortisol
Eschrichtiidae
Females
Geographical locations
Glucocorticoids
gray whale
Homeostasis
Hormones
Life history
Males
Marine mammals
metabolic biomarkers
Parameters
Reproductive status
Sex
stress
Whales
Year class
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Summary:The goal of the present study was to carry out a thorough methodological validation and describe baseline profiles for glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol and corticosterone) in blubber from blue (n = 77) and gray (n = 103) whales from the eastern North Pacific Ocean. For each species, we modelled cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in response to life history parameters (age, sex, reproductive status) and season or geographic location. In blue whales, cortisol concentrations did not vary significantly by age class, sex, or reproductive status, whereas corticosterone was significantly lower in immature than in adult females (p 
ISSN:0824-0469
1748-7692
DOI:10.1111/mms.12954