Development of Novel Noninvasive Methods of Stress Assessment in Baleen Whales

The long-term goal of this research is to broaden the existing panel of endocrine stress assessment techniques for large whales. Few methods exist for the assessment of physiological stress levels of free-swimming cetaceans (Amaral 2010, ONR 2010, Hunt et al. 2013a). We have previously demonstrated...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hunt, Kathleen E, Rolland, Rosalind M, Kraus, Scott
Other Authors: NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM BOSTON MA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
Biology
Stress Physiology
Test Facilities
Equipment and Methods
*ALDOSTERONE
*COLLECTING METHODS
*FECES
*RESPIRATION
*SAMPLING
*STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY)
*WHALES
ASSAYING
FIELD TESTS
LABORATORY TESTS
MODIFICATION
MOUNTS
NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN
POLES(SUPPORTS)
TEST AND EVALUATION
*RESPIRATORY SAMPLING
*RESPIRATORY HORMONE ANALYSIS
*FECAL HORMONE ANALYSIS
*NONINVASIVE METHODS
*BALEEN WHALES
*PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS ASSESSMENT
NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES
BLOW SAMPLING
NONINVASIVE HORMONE ASSAYS
ALDOSTERONE ASSAYS
CARBON-FIBER POLES
BOAT MOUNTS
SAMPLE COLLECTORS
NYLON FABRIC COLLECTORS
BLOW COLLECTOR DESIGNS
HOOP-AND-VEIL SAMPLERS
PLATE SAMPLERS
baleen whales
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA599704
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA599704
Description
Summary:The long-term goal of this research is to broaden the existing panel of endocrine stress assessment techniques for large whales. Few methods exist for the assessment of physiological stress levels of free-swimming cetaceans (Amaral 2010, ONR 2010, Hunt et al. 2013a). We have previously demonstrated that respiratory vapor (blow) sampling is practical and feasible for large whales, and that blow samples contain detectable steroid and thyroid hormones (Hunt et al. 2013b). We also have developed a suite of fecal hormone assays for reproductive and stress-related hormones in North Atlantic right whales (Hunt et al. 2006, Rolland et al. 2005, 2012). However, blow sampling needs further testing before it can enter widespread use, and some additional stress-related hormones have not yet been tested in either feces or blow, particularly aldosterone. Our aim in this project is to further develop both techniques -- respiratory hormone analysis and fecal hormone analysis -- for use in stress assessment of large whales. We have two specific objectives in this project: (1) further development of respiratory sampling methodology, via modifications to our sampling apparatus and testing of internal controls to control for water content; and (2) development of a noninvasive aldosterone assay (for both feces and blow) that can be used as an alternative measure of adrenal activation to complement existing glucocorticoid assays.

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