title: Relationships between POPs and baseline corticosterone levels in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) across their breeding cycle.
abstract: Chronic exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in wildlife might alter the response to environmental changes through interference with the regulation of stress hormones. Here, we examined the relationship between blood concentrations of several POPs and baseline plasma corticosterone levels in the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) during three distinct periods in the breeding season. The concentrations of POPs and corticosterone increased, whereas body mass decreased progressively from the pre-laying period to the incubation and the chick rearing period. ∑PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) correlated positively with the baseline corticosterone levels during the pre-laying period, which might suggest that PCBs affect the regulation of corticosterone. However, this relationship was not found during the incubation or the chick rearing period. Possible explanations are discussed with emphasis on how total stress/allostatic load is handled during different periods and conditions.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordstad
authors.forename: Børge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moe
authors.forename: Jan Ove
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Bustnes
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bech
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chastel
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goutte
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sagerup
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trouvé
authors.forename: Dorte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herzke
authors.forename: Geir Wing
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Gabrielsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000592:standards; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000592:standards; D012098:Reproduction
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D003345:Corticosterone