Intra-individual variability in fecal cortisol metabolites varies with lifetime exploration and reproductive life history in eastern chipmunks ( Tamias striatus )

摘要: Understanding the mechanistic links between individual variation in life history and behavior is a major challenge evolutionary ecology. Glucocorticoids (GC) play role this link through their baseline levels into blood implication stress responses to environmental perturbations. However, very few studies have investigated long-term joint relationships GC reactivity, history, natural conditions. Here, we took advantage of behavioral differences among males females wild population eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus): We how exploration, age, reproduction were linked level intra-individual variability (IIV) fecal cortisol metabolites over 5-month period. Our analyses revealed that female decreased during gestation lactation compared with non-reproductive females. also found slower exploring smaller litter displayed higher IIV metabolites. For males, mating season increased number offspring produced age. study highlights necessity considering simultaneously seasonal fluctuations dynamics reactivity co-adaptations within populations.