Journal article
Identifying factors that influence stress physiology of the woylie, a critically endangered marsupial
Journal of Zoology, Vol.302(1), pp.49-56
2016
Abstract
Faecal glucocorticoid metabolites are minimally invasive stress physiology indices that can be used to understand how animals respond to physical and/or psychological challenges (stressors) and inform how to optimize conservation management in view of these stressors. We investigated contextual biological, environmental and parasitological factors influencing variation in baseline faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentration in a critically endangered marsupial, the woylie (syn. brush-tailed bettong, Bettongia penicillata). Woylies have undergone a rapid and significant population decline, with environmental stressors exacerbating disease suggested to contribute to these ongoing declines. We conducted a longitudinal field study of 15 adult woylies (9 females, 6 males) in a captive, naturalistic facility. FCM concentration in faecal samples (n = 269) collected monthly over 20 months was quantified by enzyme immunoassay in parallel with measures of body condition, sex, season, female reproductive status and the presence of endoparasites and ectoparasites. Linear mixed effect modelling revealed a significant effect of season, sex, body condition index and nematode parasite status on FCM. Overall, mean FCM was lowest in summer and highest in autumn and winter, and females had higher mean FCM than males. There was a significant but weak negative association between body condition and FCM. When woylies were shedding oxyurid nematode eggs they had higher mean FCM compared to when they were not shedding. In future, knowledge of factors that influence FCM fluctuations in woylies may be considered when carrying out potentially stressful conservation interventions that may influence the future survival of this unique and threatened species.
Details
- Title
- Identifying factors that influence stress physiology of the woylie, a critically endangered marsupial
- Authors/Creators
- S. Hing (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityE.J. Narayan (Author/Creator) - Charles Sturt UniversityR.C.A. Thompson (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityS.S. Godfrey (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Journal of Zoology, Vol.302(1), pp.49-56
- Publisher
- Blackwell Publishing Ltd
- Identifiers
- 991005544011407891
- Copyright
- © 2016 The Zoological Society of London
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Metrics
148 File views/ downloads
66 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Citation topics
- 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
- 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology
- 3.35.693 Primate Behavior
- Web Of Science research areas
- Zoology
- ESI research areas
- Plant & Animal Science