Surface temperatures are influenced by handling stress independently of corticosterone levels in wild king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus)

• Published in: Journal of Thermal Biology
• Main Authors: Lewden, Agnès, Ward, Chelsea, Noiret, Aude, Avril, Sandra, Abolivier, Lucie, Gérard, Caroline, Hammer, Tracey, Raymond, Émilie, Robin, Jean-Patrice, Viblanc, Vincent, Bize, Pierre, Stier, Antoine
• Other Authors: Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Leeds, University of Aberdeen, Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés (LEHNA), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État (ENTPE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Swiss Ornithological Institute, University of Turku, ANR-17-EURE-0015,ISBlue,Interdisciplinary Graduate School for the Blue planet(2017)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2024
• Subjects: [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; King Penguins
• Online Access: https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-04612230; https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-04612230/document; https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-04612230/file/1-s2.0-S0306456524000688-main.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103850

International audience Assessing the physiological stress responses of wild animals opens a window for understanding how organisms cope with environmental challenges. Since stress response is associated with changes in body temperature, the use of body surface temperature through thermal imaging could help to measure acute and chronic stress responses non -invasively. We used thermal imaging, acute handling -stress protocol and an experimental manipulation of corticosterone (the main glucocorticoid hormone in birds) levels in breeding king penguins ( Aptenodytes patagonicus ), to assess: 1. The potential contribution of the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis in mediating chronic and acute stress -induced changes in adult surface temperature, 2. The influence of HPA axis manipulation on parental investment through thermal imaging of eggs and brooded chicks, and 3. The impact of parental treatment on offspring thermal ' s response to acute handling. Maximum eye temperature ( T eye ) increased and minimum beak temperature ( T beak ) decreased in response to handling stress in adults, but neither basal nor stress -induced surface temperatures were significantly affected by corticosterone implant. While egg temperature was not significantly influenced by parental treatment, we found a surprising pattern for chicks: chicks brooded by the (non -implanted) partner of corticosterone-implanted individuals exhibited higher surface temperature (both T eye and T beak ) than those brooded by glucocorticoidimplanted or control parents. Chick ' s response to handling in terms of surface temperature was characterized by a drop in both T eye and T beak independently of parental treatment. We conclude that the HPA axis seems unlikely to play a major role in determining chronic or acute changes in surface temperature in king penguins. Changes in surface temperature may primarily be mediated by the Sympathetic -Adrenal -Medullary (SAM) axis in response to stressful situations. Our experiment did not reveal a direct impact of ...