Understanding baseline hormone levels, the magnitude of intra-individual variability, and their variation as a function of life history is difficult in toothed whales (e.g. dolphins and porpoises) because of the effects of capture stress. To determine the endocrine profile of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) as a function of season, time of day (TOD), age, sex, and reproductive status, blood corticosteroids, thyroid hormones, and catecholamines were repeatedly measured in a managed-care population exposed to ambient light and water temperatures of San Diego Bay. Additionally, fecal hormone metabolites were assessed for cortisol, aldosterone, and triiodothyronine. Samples were collected at two to four-week intervals over a period of two years, and multiple times within a day at monthly intervals over a year. Samples were collected through the voluntary participation of the dolphins in the blood draws and fecal collections in order to avoid the effects of handling stress. All serum hormones except aldosterone significantly varied with season and all serum hormones except total thyroxine significantly varied as a function of TOD. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites significantly correlated with circulating cortisol levels, and there was a significant seasonal effect on triiodothyronine fecal metabolites. Strong seasonal effects demonstrated complex interactions with age and sex suggesting that contextual information is critical to interpreting differences in endocrine profiles. Strong circadian patterns further suggest that sampling design is important to the interpretation of blood or fecal collections, particularly since diurnal changes in some serum hormone levels are similar to the magnitude of seasonal differences. Despite potential impacts of feeding schedules on diurnal patterns, managed care populations can provide important insights into seasonal and age-related endocrine changes in toothed whales.

由于捕获压力的影响，在齿鲸（例如海豚和鼠海豚）中，很难了解基线激素水平、个体内变异的大小以及它们作为生活史函数的变异。确定普通宽吻海豚 ( Tursiops truncatus ) 的内分泌特征) 作为季节、一天中时间 (TOD)、年龄、性别和生殖状态的函数，在暴露于圣地亚哥湾环境光和水温的管理式护理人群中反复测量血液皮质类固醇、甲状腺激素和儿茶酚胺. 此外，还评估了粪便激素代谢物的皮质醇、醛固酮和三碘甲状腺原氨酸。在两年内以两到四周的间隔收集样本，并在一年内以每月的间隔在一天内多次收集。通过海豚自愿参与抽血和粪便收集来收集样本，以避免处理压力的影响。除醛固酮外，所有血清激素均随季节显着变化，除总甲状腺素外，所有血清激素均随 TOD 显着变化。粪便糖皮质激素代谢物与循环皮质醇水平显着相关，并且对三碘甲状腺原氨酸粪便代谢物具有显着的季节性影响。强烈的季节性影响表明了与年龄和性别的复杂相互作用，这表明上下文信息对于解释内分泌特征的差异至关重要。强烈的昼夜节律模式进一步表明，采样设计对于解释血液或粪便收集物很重要，特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节性差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。并且对三碘甲状腺原氨酸粪便代谢物有显着的季节性影响。强烈的季节性影响表明了与年龄和性别的复杂相互作用，这表明上下文信息对于解释内分泌特征的差异至关重要。强烈的昼夜节律模式进一步表明，采样设计对于解释血液或粪便收集物很重要，特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节性差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。并且对三碘甲状腺原氨酸粪便代谢物有显着的季节性影响。强烈的季节性影响表明了与年龄和性别的复杂相互作用，这表明上下文信息对于解释内分泌特征的差异至关重要。强烈的昼夜节律模式进一步表明，采样设计对于解释血液或粪便收集物很重要，特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节性差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。强烈的季节性影响表明了与年龄和性别的复杂相互作用，这表明上下文信息对于解释内分泌特征的差异至关重要。强烈的昼夜节律模式进一步表明，采样设计对于解释血液或粪便收集物很重要，特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节性差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。强烈的季节性影响表明了与年龄和性别的复杂相互作用，这表明上下文信息对于解释内分泌特征的差异至关重要。强烈的昼夜节律模式进一步表明，采样设计对于解释血液或粪便收集物很重要，特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节性差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。特别是因为某些血清激素水平的昼夜变化与季节差异的幅度相似。尽管喂养时间表对昼夜模式有潜在影响，但管理式护理人群可以为齿鲸的季节性和与年龄相关的内分泌变化提供重要的见解。