Meeting Abstract

107.4  Tuesday, Jan. 7 08:45  Long-term costs of early stress exposure: are telomeres an important link? HEIDINGER, BJ*; HERBORN, KA; BONER, W; NOGUERA, JC; ADAM, A; DAUNT, F; MONAGHAN, P; North Dakota State University; University of Glasgow; University of Glasgow; University of Glasgow; University of Glasgow; Center for Ecology and Hydrology; University of Glasgow britt.heidinger@ndsu.edu

Developing vertebrates often respond to environmental stressors by elevating glucocorticoid (CORT) stress hormones. In young animals, a stress-induced rise in CORT is expected to enhance short-term survival, but to simultaneously shift resources away from growth. Exposure to CORT during early life can result in a more ‘stress responsive’ phenotype in adulthood, which might be adaptive under certain environmental conditions, but can also result in long-term costs such as reduced lifespan. The mechanisms linking early stress exposure and longevity are poorly understood, but telomere dynamics might be important. In this study, we experimentally manipulated stress exposure during the early post-natal period in a long-lived seabird, the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and examined the effect on growth rate, CORT, and telomere dynamics. We found clear evidence that early stress exposure increased stress responsiveness and accelerated telomere loss, resulting in shorter telomeres at the time of fledging.