Meeting Abstract
Changing environmental states can impose homeostatic costs on animals that trigger shifts in physiology and behavior. We tracked fecal corticosterone fluctuations and movement behavior of banner-tailed kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spectabilis) over time and in response to changes such as habitat disturbance, season, lunar phase, and experimental manipulations. Corticosterone (CORT), a glucocorticoid, is a homeostatic hormone that is thought to mediate both physiological and behavioral responses to environmental perturbations. We predict that fecal CORT profiles, movements, and habitat use will shift in response to these perturbations. For granivorous rodents, we expect these shifts could influence trophic interactions and the plant community through changes in seed consumption, dispersal distances, or preferential consumption of particular plant species. Banner-tailed kangaroo rats are one of the most abundant rodents in this part of the Chihuahuan desert and their burrows provide refuge for many other species. Shifts in stress hormone levels and behavior could impact the entire small mammal community. There is no doubt we live in a rapidly changing world; experimental tests such as these can provide insight into how animal physiological and behavioral responses to changing environments can influence ecological community dynamics.
