Meeting Abstract

P3.122  Thursday, Jan. 6  Effects of urban habitat and human disturbance on stress hormones the song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) FOLTZ, Sarah L.*; DAVIS, Jason E.; GREENE, Virginia W.; VEGA, Rene C.; MOORE, Ignacio T.; Virginia Tech; Radford University; Virginia Tech; Radford University; Virginia Tech sarahf8@vt.edu

Urban areas present a unique habitat type filled with both novel challenges and potential resources. Organisms that can adapt to the challenges of urban living may have an advantage as urban areas continue to expand. We investigated the effects of both urbanization (landscape development and high human population density) and human activity (pedestrian and vehicular traffic) on endocrine physiology in the song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) in a 2×2 observational study. Because of its potential role in adaptation to new and unpredictable environments such as urban areas, we looked at variation in both baseline and stressed levels of corticosterone, the major avian stress hormone. We found that both baseline and stressed corticosterone were significantly higher in urban populations, but that human activity had no discernible effect on either measure. Additionally, we found that baseline corticosterone levels correlated with body weight and that body weight was significantly lower in urban populations.