Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index
Polar bears are heavily dependent on sea ice for hunting sufficient prey to meet their energetic needs. When the bears are left fasting, it may cause a rise in the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the major corticosteroid hormone in most mammals, including polar bears. Production a...
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Language: | English |
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2013
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ftvliz:oai:oma.vliz.be:238181 2023-05-15T16:03:34+02:00 Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index Bechshoft, T.O. Sonne, C. Riget, F.F. Letcher, R.J. Novak, M.A. Henchey, E. Meyer, J.S. Eulaers, I. Jaspers, V.L.B. Covaci, A. Dietz, R. 2013 http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=238181 en eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000324142700013 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1364-y http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=238181 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess %3Ci%3EPolar+Biol.+36%2810%29%3C%2Fi%3E%3A+1525-1529.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1007%2Fs00300-013-1364-y%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1007%2Fs00300-013-1364-y%3C%2Fa%3E Ursus maritimus [polar bear] info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2013 ftvliz https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1364-y 2022-05-01T10:14:57Z Polar bears are heavily dependent on sea ice for hunting sufficient prey to meet their energetic needs. When the bears are left fasting, it may cause a rise in the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the major corticosteroid hormone in most mammals, including polar bears. Production and regulation of this stress hormone are vital for the body as it is part of a myriad of processes, including in relation to metabolism, growth, development, reproduction, and immune function. In the present study, we examined the correlation between East Greenland polar bear hair cortisol concentration (HCC), a matrix that reflects longer-term hormone levels, and the fluctuations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, a large-scale climate phenomenon applied as a proxy for sea ice extent in the Greenland Sea along the coast of East Greenland. In doing so, a significant positive correlation ( r = 0.88; p = 0.0004) was found between polar bear hair cortisol and the NAO, explaining 77 % of the variation in HCC observed between years over the period 1989-2009. This result indicates that interannual fluctuations in climate and ice cover have a substantial influence on longer-term cortisol levels in East Greenland polar bears. Further research into the implications and consequences inherent in this correlation are recommended, preferably across multiple polar bear populations. Article in Journal/Newspaper East Greenland Greenland Greenland Sea North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation Sea ice Ursus maritimus Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Open Marine Archive (OMA) Greenland Polar Biology 36 10 1525 1529 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Open Marine Archive (OMA) |
op_collection_id |
ftvliz |
language |
English |
topic |
Ursus maritimus [polar bear] |
spellingShingle |
Ursus maritimus [polar bear] Bechshoft, T.O. Sonne, C. Riget, F.F. Letcher, R.J. Novak, M.A. Henchey, E. Meyer, J.S. Eulaers, I. Jaspers, V.L.B. Covaci, A. Dietz, R. Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index |
topic_facet |
Ursus maritimus [polar bear] |
description |
Polar bears are heavily dependent on sea ice for hunting sufficient prey to meet their energetic needs. When the bears are left fasting, it may cause a rise in the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the major corticosteroid hormone in most mammals, including polar bears. Production and regulation of this stress hormone are vital for the body as it is part of a myriad of processes, including in relation to metabolism, growth, development, reproduction, and immune function. In the present study, we examined the correlation between East Greenland polar bear hair cortisol concentration (HCC), a matrix that reflects longer-term hormone levels, and the fluctuations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, a large-scale climate phenomenon applied as a proxy for sea ice extent in the Greenland Sea along the coast of East Greenland. In doing so, a significant positive correlation ( r = 0.88; p = 0.0004) was found between polar bear hair cortisol and the NAO, explaining 77 % of the variation in HCC observed between years over the period 1989-2009. This result indicates that interannual fluctuations in climate and ice cover have a substantial influence on longer-term cortisol levels in East Greenland polar bears. Further research into the implications and consequences inherent in this correlation are recommended, preferably across multiple polar bear populations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bechshoft, T.O. Sonne, C. Riget, F.F. Letcher, R.J. Novak, M.A. Henchey, E. Meyer, J.S. Eulaers, I. Jaspers, V.L.B. Covaci, A. Dietz, R. |
author_facet |
Bechshoft, T.O. Sonne, C. Riget, F.F. Letcher, R.J. Novak, M.A. Henchey, E. Meyer, J.S. Eulaers, I. Jaspers, V.L.B. Covaci, A. Dietz, R. |
author_sort |
Bechshoft, T.O. |
title |
Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index |
title_short |
Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index |
title_full |
Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index |
title_fullStr |
Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index |
title_full_unstemmed |
Polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index |
title_sort |
polar bear stress hormone cortisol fluctuates with the north atlantic oscillation climate index |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=238181 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
East Greenland Greenland Greenland Sea North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation Sea ice Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
East Greenland Greenland Greenland Sea North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation Sea ice Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
%3Ci%3EPolar+Biol.+36%2810%29%3C%2Fi%3E%3A+1525-1529.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1007%2Fs00300-013-1364-y%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1007%2Fs00300-013-1364-y%3C%2Fa%3E |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000324142700013 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1364-y http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=238181 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1364-y |
container_title |
Polar Biology |
container_volume |
36 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
1525 |
op_container_end_page |
1529 |
_version_ |
1766399251992018944 |