AbstractStudies on the effects of environmental changes with increasing depth (e.g. temperature and oxygen level) on fish physiology rarely consider how hydrostatic pressure might influence the observed responses. In this study, lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus, 200–400 g), which can exhibit vertical migrations of over 100 m daily and can be found at depths of 500 m or more, were implanted with Star-Oddi

When it comes to survival on land, adapting to local conditions is generally an advantage. But, what if a plant that has not fine-tuned to its environment turns out to be better suited to survive climate change?

Quantifying hair cortisol has become popular in wildlife ecology for its practical advantages for evaluating stress. Before hair cortisol levels can be reliably interpreted, however, it is key to first understand the intrinsic factors explaining intra- and inter-specific variation. Bats are an ecologically diverse group of mammals that allow studying such variation. Given that many bat species are

Warming and hypoxia are two stressors commonly found within natural salmon redds that are likely to co-occur. Warming and hypoxia can interact physiologically, but their combined effects during fish development remain poorly studied, particularly stage-specific effects and potential carry-over effects. To test the impacts of warm water temperature and hypoxia as individual and combined developmental

AbstractProlonged or repeated episodes of environmental stress could be especially detrimental for developing young, via impaired growth or development. Despite this, most studies investigating the effects of human recreational and tourism activities have focused on adults. An increasing demand for nature-based tourism in remote locations means that many seabirds, which have evolved largely in the

Moose populations in the northeastern United States have declined over the past 15 years, primarily due to the impacts of winter ticks. Research efforts have focused on the effects of winter tick infestation on moose survival and reproduction, but stress and nutritional responses to ticks and other stressors remain understudied. We examined the influence of several environmental factors on moose calf

Physiological biomarkers are commonly used to assess the health of taxa exposed to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are often used as indicators of physiological stress in wildlife because they affect growth, reproduction and survival. Increased salinity from human activities negatively influences amphibians and their corticosterone (CORT; the main amphibian GC) physiology;

Understanding the causes of range expansions in abundant species can help predict future species distributions. During range expansions, animals are exposed to novel environments and are required to cope with new and unpredictable stressors. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are mediators of the hormonal and behavioural mechanisms allowing animals to cope with unpredictable changes in the environment and are therefore

Conservation Physiology, Volume 9(1): coab028, doi: 10.1093/conphys/coab028

Bumble bee queens initiate nests solitarily and transition to living socially once they successfully rear their first cohort of offspring. Bumble bees are disproportionately important for early season pollination, and many populations are experiencing dramatic declines. In this system, the onset of the social stage is critical for nest survival, yet the mechanisms that facilitate this transition remain

The effects of thermal anomalies on tropical coral endosymbiosis can be mediated by a range of environmental factors, which in turn ultimately influence coral health and survival. One such factor is the water flow conditions over coral reefs and corals. Although the physiological benefits of living under high water flow are well known, there remains a lack of conclusive experimental evidence characterizing

Anthropogenic change is a major threat to individual species and biodiversity. Yet the behavioral and physiological responses of animals to these changes remain understudied. This is due to the technological challenges in assessing these effects in situ. Using captive maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus, n = 6) as a model, we deployed implantable biologgers and collected physiological data on heart

AbstractEmbryogenesis is a vulnerable stage in elasmobranch development due in part to high predation mortality. Embryonic elasmobranchs respond to potential predators by displaying a freezing behaviour, characterized by the cessation of pharyngeal respiration followed immediately by coiling of the tail around the body. We hypothesized that the duration of this freeze response is limited by the embryo’s

High air temperatures have measurable negative impacts on reproduction in wild animal populations, including during incubation in birds. Understanding the mechanisms driving these impacts requires comprehensive knowledge of animal physiology and behaviour under natural conditions. We used a novel combination of a non-invasive doubly labelled water (DLW) technique, nest temperature data and field-based

Many reef organisms, such as the giant clams, are confronted with global change effects. Abnormally high seawater temperatures can lead to mass bleaching events and subsequent mortality, while ocean acidification may impact biomineralization processes. Despite its strong ecological and socio-economic importance, its responses to these threats still need to be explored. We investigated physiological

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are keystone species within their grassland ecosystems; their population stability affects a multitude of other species. The goals of this study were to explore, describe and compare the bacterial communities in caecal and hard faecal samples from free-ranging black-tailed prairie dogs (n = 36) from KS, USA, using high-throughput sequencing of the V4

In 1992, the Union of Concerned Scientists shared their ‘World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity’ with governmental leaders worldwide, calling for immediate action to halt the environmental degradation that threatens the systems that support life on Earth. A follow-up ‘Second Warning’ was released in 2017, with over 15 000 scientists as signatories, describing the lack of progress in adopting the sustainable

Models of species response to climate change often assume that physiological traits are invariant across populations. Neglecting potential intraspecific variation may overlook the possibility that some populations are more resilient or susceptible than others, creating inaccurate predictions of climate impacts. In addition, phenotypic plasticity can contribute to trait variation and may mediate sensitivity

Conservation becomes increasingly complex as climate change exacerbates the multitude of stressors that organisms face. To meet this challenge, multiple stressor research is rapidly expanding, and the majority of this work has highlighted the deleterious effects of stressor interactions. However, there is a growing body of research documenting cross-protection between stressors, whereby exposure to

AbstractMany ectotherms have shown a reduction in maximum body size in the past decades in parallel with climate warming. Indeed, some models forecast a maximum body size decline of 14%–24% by 2050 for numerous fish species. The gill-oxygen limitation (GOL) hypothesis is perhaps the most prominent concept regarding the physiological mechanisms underlying the observed trends, implicating oxygen uptake

AbstractAlaskan harbour seal populations are currently listed as a species of special concern. Although there is evidence of recent stabilization or even partial recovery of harbour seal numbers in areas of historic decline, most populations have not made substantial recoveries. To date, few data exist regarding spatial and seasonal changes in blubber fatty acids (FAs) for Alaskan harbour seal populations

Ocean warming is a driving force in marine conservation physiology research. Yet, scientists only began to investigate this threat in sharks in the second decade of the 21st century. Since then, researchers around the world have considered the nearly 1200 species of sharks and their kin and have been working to describe biological traits that can be used to predict ‘winners and losers’ of climate change

Information about the reproductive status of free-ranging pinnipeds provides useful insight into their population dynamics, which is essential to their management and conservation. To determine the reproductive status of individual animals, blood sampling is often required despite being impractical to collect in open water. Hair as an endocrine marker has been used to less invasively assess the reproductive

Animals’ selection of environments within a preferred range is key to understanding their habitat selection, tolerance to stressors and responses to environmental change. For aquatic animals, preferred environmental ranges can be studied in so-called shuttle-boxes, where an animal can choose its ambient environment by shuttling between separate choice chambers with differences in an environmental variable

Eastern North American migratory monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) have faced sharp declines over the past two decades. Captive rearing of monarch butterflies is a popular and widely used approach for both public education and conservation. However, recent evidence suggests that captive-reared monarchs may lose their capacity to orient southward during fall migration to their Mexican overwintering

Our understanding about how environmental and biological variables may influence circulating thyroid and adrenal hormones in free-ranging cetaceans is limited. As such, we used liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to determine concentrations of circulating cortisol and thyroid hormones (THs; tT3, tT4) in 132 Yangtze finless porpoises (YFPs) located in Poyang Lake, (PL, n = 92) and Tian-E-Zhou Oxbow

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) was driven to near extinction due to habitat loss and an introduced disease, sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis). After 35 years of breeding in ex situ facilities, the black-footed ferret has been experiencing infertility with seminal traits declining in males and only about a third of breeding-aged females are whelping. Our goal was to use hair cortisol analysis

Much research has focused on the population-level effects of climate change on Eastern Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). While some studies have considered here sub-lethal stress caused by warming waters, the role of multiple, interacting stressors remains largely unexplored. We used inducible heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) as a molecular biomarker to assess in situ response of Eastern Brook Trout

A common reptile conservation strategy involves artificial incubation of embryos and release of hatchlings or juveniles into wild populations. Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) occurs in most chelonians, permitting conservation managers to bias sex ratios towards females by incubating embryos at high temperatures, ultimately allowing the introduction of more egg-bearing individuals into

Temporal variation in stress might signify changes in an animal’s internal or external environment, while spatial variation in stress might signify variation in the quality of the habitats that individual animals experience. Habitat-induced variations in stress might be easiest to detect in highly territorial animals, and especially in species that do not take advantage of common strategies for modulating

Conservation physiology represents a recently emerging arm of conservation science that applies physiological tools and techniques to understand and solve conservation issues. While a multi-disciplinary toolbox can only help to address the global biodiversity crisis, any field can face challenges while becoming established, particularly highly applied disciplines that require multi-stakeholder involvement

Drier and hotter conditions caused by climate change threaten species that exist close to their physiological limits, as well as those with limited ability to move. Habitat specialists may also be particularly vulnerable if they have specific abiotic requirements. Here we assess whether thermal and hydric constraints can explain the highly restricted and declining distributions of the critically endangered

Testosterone is known to be essential for sexual maturation as well as for the display of behavioural traits linked to reproduction. At the same time, external factors such as the presence of receptive females may affect testosterone levels, stressing the hormone’s substantial role in reproductive success. It is therefore of major interest to investigate the links between androgens, behaviour and the

Agricultural pesticides usage has been increasing globally. These compounds have been developed to disrupt pest species physiology, but because their specificity is limited, they can also have adverse effects on non-target organisms. Recent studies have shown that the damaging toxicological effects of pesticides can be amplified in stressful environments. However, few studies have documented these

AbstractGlobal warming is affecting plant phenology, growth and reproduction in complex ways and is particularly apparent in vulnerable alpine environments. Warming affects reproductive and vegetative traits, as well as phenology, but seldom do studies assess these traits in concert and across the whole of a plant’s life cycle, particularly in wild species. Thus, it is difficult to extrapolate from

Evaluating sea turtle health can be challenging due to an incomplete understanding of pathophysiologic responses in these species. Proteome characterization of clinical plasma samples can provide insights into disease progression and prospective biomarker targets. A TMT-10-plex-LC–MS/MS platform was used to characterize the plasma proteome of five, juvenile, green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and compare

Many sharks and other marine taxa use natal areas to maximize survival of young, meaning such areas are often attributed conservation value. The use of natal areas is often linked to predator avoidance or food resources. However, energetic constraints that may influence dispersal of young and their use of natal areas are poorly understood. We combined swim-tunnel respirometry, calorimetry, lipid class

The capacity of ectotherms to cope with rising temperatures associated with climate change is a significant conservation concern as the rate of warming is likely too rapid to allow for adaptative responses in many populations. Transgenerational plasticity (TGP), if present, could potentially buffer some of the negative impacts of warming on future generations. We examined TGP in lake trout to assess

Reference intervals (RIs) are an increasingly valuable tool for monitoring captive and free-living wildlife populations. Galapagos tortoises are one of the most emblematic species on Earth with 9 of the 12 extant species considered endangered due to human activities. As part of a long-term health assessment within the Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Programme, we sampled a total of 210 free-living

Adult female Pacific salmon can have higher migration mortality rates than males, particularly at warm temperatures. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain a mystery. Given the importance of swimming energetics on fitness, we measured critical swim speed, swimming metabolism, cost of transport, aerobic scope (absolute and factorial) and exercise recovery in adult female and male

Most marine ectotherms require the successful completion of a biphasic larval stage to recruit into adult populations. Recruitment of larvae into benthic habitats largely depends on biological interactions and favourable environmental conditions such as the inescapable diurnal thermal and tidal exposures. Hence, assessing how different taxa metabolically respond to variations in temperature is imperative

AbstractEndemic and relict species are often confined to ecological refugia or over fragmented distributions, representing priority conservation subjects. Within these sites, the individual population may realize distinct niches to a varying degree of specialization. An emblematic example is provided by freshwater species segregated in thermal-mineral springs, where individuals may face highly diverse

Environmental change and biodiversity loss are but two of the complex challenges facing conservation practitioners and policy makers. Relevant and robust scientific knowledge is critical for providing decision-makers with the actionable evidence needed to inform conservation decisions. In the Anthropocene, science that leads to meaningful improvements in biodiversity conservation, restoration and management

Changes in species composition and biomass of Arctic benthic communities are predicted to occur in response to environmental changes associated with oceanic warming and sea-ice loss. Such changes will likely impact ecosystem function, including flows of energy and organic material through the Arctic marine food web. Oxygen consumption rates can be used to quantify differences in metabolic demand among

Since the beginning of the 20th century, rhino populations have declined from 500 000 individuals to just 27 000. That means they are at just 5% of their population size since 1900! With increasing poaching pressure driven by a demand for rhino horn, the national parks and private reserves that are integral to the remaining rhinos’ survival often need on-the-ground security to protect them. But this

Multidisciplinary approaches to conservation and wildlife management are often effective in addressing complex, multi-factor problems. Emerging fields such as conservation physiology and conservation behaviour can provide innovative solutions and management strategies for target species and systems. Sensory ecology combines the study of ‘how animals acquire’ and process sensory stimuli from their environments

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), a keystone species, is declining throughout its geographic range. Lack of knowledge with respect to the potential infectious diseases present within wild populations creates a dilemma for wildlife biologists, conservationists and public policy makers. The objective of this study was to conduct a health assessment of two previously unstudied gopher tortoise

Long-distance migrations can be energetically demanding and can represent phases of high mortality. Understanding relationships between body condition and migratory performance can help illuminate the challenges and vulnerabilities of migratory species. Juvenile anadromous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) may migrate over 1000 km from their freshwater nursery habitats to estuary and ocean feeding

Polar bears depend on the Arctic sea ice for survival. In the cold, frozen tundra, deep snow and ice, they hunt for food, find mates and teach their young survival skills. But, it turns out that polar bears can also teach us humans a lot about the long-term health of the Arctic environment.

Captive breeding and reintroduction programs have been established for several threatened amphibian species globally, but with varied success. This reflects our relatively poor understanding of the hormonal control of amphibian reproduction and the stimuli required to initiate and complete reproductive events. While the amphibian hypothalamo–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis shares fundamental similarities

Mahi-mahi is one of the fastest swimming fish species in the ocean. This speedy swimming ability allows them to catch prey, avoid predators and undertake long-distance migrations in the open ocean. But, in a new study by Folkerts et al. (2020), it turns out that all of that speed is no match for the flowback wastewater that results from hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking’.

AbstractWith a growing number of species of conservation concern, understanding the physiological effects of routine sampling of vertebrate species remains a priority to maintain the welfare status of wildlife and ensure such activities are not counter to conservation goals. The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a species of conservation concern throughout its range and is among the most frequently

Invasive species can exert rapid depletion of resources after introduction and, in turn, affect their own population density. Additionally, management actions can have direct and indirect effects on demography. Physiological variables can predict demographic change but are often restricted to snapshots-in-time and delayed confirmation of changes in population density reduces their utility. To evaluate

Conservation of rare or threatened species can be complicated under the best circumstances—sometimes just simply finding the species to assess their populations is difficult enough, let alone monitoring their responses to management or recovery plans. Moreover, survey efforts are often hugely expensive and not always efficient at recording the target species. Kate Saleeba and her colleagues saw this

The integration of multiple tissues in physiological and ecological analyses can enhance methodological approaches, increase applications for data and extend interpretation of results. Previous investigations of the stress response in fish have focused primarily on cortisol levels in a single matrix—blood plasma—which confines interpretations of cortisol levels to a short temporal frame. Epidermal

Wound healing is important for marine taxa such as elasmobranchs, which can incur a range of natural and anthropogenic wounds throughout their life history. There is evidence that this group shows a high capacity for external wound healing. However, anthropogenic wounds may become more frequent due to increasing commercial and recreational marine activities. Whale sharks are particularly at risk of

The impact of simulated seawater acidification and warming conditions on specimens of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis locally adapted to very distinct, widely separated sites in the Mediterranean Sea (Tunisia) and Atlantic Sea (Galicia, NW Spain) was evaluated in relation to key behavioural and eco-physiological parameters. Over the 2-month exposure to the experimental conditions, mussels were

AbstractThe Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is an iconic Arctic marine mammal and an important resource to many Alaska Natives. A decrease in sea ice habitat and unknown population numbers has led to concern of the long-term future health of the walrus population. There is currently no clear understanding of how walrus physiology might be affected by a changing Arctic ecosystem. In this

Pinnipeds (true seals, sea lions and walruses) inhabit two thermally different environments, air and water, so need to make continuous adjustments to maintain a balanced body temperature. The thermal isolation properties of thick blubber keep warmth within the body’s core, ideal for mammals while in the water; however, when on land, this thick blubber makes it difficult to lose heat. Some pinnipeds

The Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia), a threatened species in Canada, breeds primarily in banks at lakeshores and rivers and in artificial (typically inland) aggregate mining pits. Inland pits may be ecological traps for this species, but relative dietary trade-offs between these two nesting habitats have not been investigated. The availability of aquatic emergent insects at lakeshores may have associated