Demographic and temporal variations in immunity and condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology
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- Data Release: USGS data release - Innate Immunity and Stress and Reproductive Hormone Metrics for Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2013-2015
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Abstract
Assessing the health and condition of animals in their natural environment can be problematic. Many physiological metrics, including immunity, are highly influenced by specific context and recent events to which researchers may be unaware. Thus, using a multifaceted physiological approach and a context-specific analysis encompassing multiple time scales can be highly informative. Ecoimmunological tools in particular can provide important indications to the health of animals in the wild. We collected blood and hair samples from free-ranging polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea and examined the influence of sex, age, and reproductive status on metrics of immunity, stress, and body condition during 2013–2015. We examined metrics of innate immunity (bactericidal ability and lysis) and stress (hair cortisol, reactive oxygen species, and oxidative barrier), in relation to indices of body condition considered to be short term (urea to creatinine ratio; UC ratio) and long term (storage energy and body mass index). We found the factors of sex, age, and reproductive status of the bear were critical for interpreting different physiological metrics. Additionally, the metrics of body condition were important predictors for stress indicators. Finally, many of these metrics differed between years, illustrating the need to examine populations on a longer time scale. Taken together, this study demonstrates the complex relationship between multiple facets of physiology and how interpretation requires us to examine individuals within a specific context.
Suggested Citation
Neuman-Lee, L., Terletzky, P., Atwood, T.C., Gese, E., Smith, G., Greenfield, S., Pettit, J., French, S., 2017, Demographic and temporal variations in immunity and condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea: Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, v. 327, no. 5, p. 333-346, https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2112.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Demographic and temporal variations in immunity and condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea |
| Series title | Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology |
| DOI | 10.1002/jez.2112 |
| Volume | 327 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Publication Date | September 20, 2017 |
| Year Published | 2017 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center Biology MFEB |
| Description | 14 p. |
| First page | 333 |
| Last page | 346 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Other Geospatial | Beaufort Sea |