Effect of food limitation and reproductive activity on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in banded mongooses.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Glucocorticoids mediate responses to perceived stressors, thereby restoring homeostasis. However, prolonged glucocorticoid elevation may cause homeostatic overload. Using extensive field investigations of banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) groups in northern Botswana, we assessed the influence of reproduction, predation risk, and food limitation on apparent homeostatic overload (n=13 groups, 1542 samples from 268 animals). We experimentally manipulated reproduction and regulated food supply in captive mongooses, and compared their glucocorticoid responses to those obtained from free-living groups. RESULTS:At the population level, variation in glucocorticoid levels in free-living mongooses was explained by food limitation: fecal organic matter, recent rainfall, and access to concentr

SUBMITTER: Laver PN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7027037 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature