Abstract
To determine the utility of fecal corticosteroid concentration as a measure of chronic stress under laboratory and field conditions, we biochemically and physiologically validated a radioimmunoassay for corticosteroids in three rodent species, house mice (Mus musculus), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and red-back voles (Clethrionomys gapperi). The biochemical validations demonstrated that the assay accurately and precisely measured corticosteroid concentration in the feces. The physiological validation indicated that the assay was sensitive enough to detect the stress associated with (a) brief handling and bleeding of animals, (b) chronic caloric restriction, (c) exposure to a novel environment, and (d) exposure to a novel cold environment. Our results suggest that fecal measurements reflect stress levels experienced by these animals approximately 6-12 h before defecation. Therefore, given a judicious trapping and trap-monitoring protocol, this assay has considerable utility for measuring the stress levels at which animals actually exist in the field.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 12-22 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Physiological and Biochemical Zoology |
| Volume | 73 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2000 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)
Cite this
Fecal glucocorticoids : A noninvasive method of measuring adrenal activity in wild and captive rodents. / Harper, James M.; Austad, Steven N.
In: Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Vol. 73, No. 1, 2000, p. 12-22.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Fecal glucocorticoids
T2 - A noninvasive method of measuring adrenal activity in wild and captive rodents
AU - Harper, James M.
AU - Austad, Steven N.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - To determine the utility of fecal corticosteroid concentration as a measure of chronic stress under laboratory and field conditions, we biochemically and physiologically validated a radioimmunoassay for corticosteroids in three rodent species, house mice (Mus musculus), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and red-back voles (Clethrionomys gapperi). The biochemical validations demonstrated that the assay accurately and precisely measured corticosteroid concentration in the feces. The physiological validation indicated that the assay was sensitive enough to detect the stress associated with (a) brief handling and bleeding of animals, (b) chronic caloric restriction, (c) exposure to a novel environment, and (d) exposure to a novel cold environment. Our results suggest that fecal measurements reflect stress levels experienced by these animals approximately 6-12 h before defecation. Therefore, given a judicious trapping and trap-monitoring protocol, this assay has considerable utility for measuring the stress levels at which animals actually exist in the field.
AB - To determine the utility of fecal corticosteroid concentration as a measure of chronic stress under laboratory and field conditions, we biochemically and physiologically validated a radioimmunoassay for corticosteroids in three rodent species, house mice (Mus musculus), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and red-back voles (Clethrionomys gapperi). The biochemical validations demonstrated that the assay accurately and precisely measured corticosteroid concentration in the feces. The physiological validation indicated that the assay was sensitive enough to detect the stress associated with (a) brief handling and bleeding of animals, (b) chronic caloric restriction, (c) exposure to a novel environment, and (d) exposure to a novel cold environment. Our results suggest that fecal measurements reflect stress levels experienced by these animals approximately 6-12 h before defecation. Therefore, given a judicious trapping and trap-monitoring protocol, this assay has considerable utility for measuring the stress levels at which animals actually exist in the field.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034060145&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/316721
DO - 10.1086/316721
M3 - Article
VL - 73
SP - 12
EP - 22
JO - Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
JF - Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
SN - 1522-2152
IS - 1
ER -