SEASONAL CHANGES IN THE ADRENAL STEROID TISSUE OF THE COMMON EIDER SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA AND ITS RELATION TO ORGANIC METABOLISM IN NORMAL AND OIL‐POLLUTED BIRDS

• Published in: Ibis
• Main Authors: Gorman, Martyn L., Milne, Henry
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1971
• Subjects: Common Eider; Somateria mollissima
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919x.1971.tb05147.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1474-919X.1971.tb05147.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1971.tb05147.x

SUMMARY The annual cycle of the interrenal (steroid secreting) tissue of the adrenal gland of the Common Eider is described in terms of its fractional volume and mean nuclear diameter. These measurements indicate a close relationship between interrenal activity and the organic metabolism of the bird throughout the year. High interrenal activity is generally accompanied by utilization of energy reserves, for example during incubation and by oil‐polluted birds, and low activity is associated with the replenishment of body tissues. Heavy fat deposition in April, before egg‐laying, occurs at a time of increasing interrenal activity which apparently induces hyperphagia which in turn prevents the catabolic effects of high glucocorticoid production. The significance of the annual interrenal cycle in relation to breeding and moulting is discussed for the Eider and compared with a variety of other species.