Weathering the storm: Decreased activity and glucocorticoid levels in response to inclement weather in breeding Columbian ground squirrels

We examined behavioral (foraging activity) and physiological (body mass and fecal cortisol metabolites) responses of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), small hibernating rodents inhabiting open meadows in Rocky Mountains, to 3 events of inclement weather (two snow storms in May 2021 and May 2022, one heavy rainfall in June 2022). We found that individuals adapted to inclement weather conditions by (1) reducing above-ground activity, including foraging, (2) decreasing the mobilization of stored resources as indicated by a decrease in the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and lower fecal cortisol metabolites in the hours/days following periods of inclement weather; and (3) compensating through increased foraging and more local activity when favorable conditions resumed. As a result, body mass and growth did not decrease following short periods of inclement weather. Columbian ground squirrels were well-adapted to short periods of inclement weather, coping via modifications of their behavior and the activity of the HPA axis.PMID:37716083 | DOI:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105426
Source: Hormones and Behavior - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Source Type: research