Meeting Abstract

38.2  Tuesday, Jan. 5  Road disturbance and its impact on stress physiology and growth in young Florida scrub-jays RENSEL, M.A.*; SCHOECH, S.J.; Univ. of Memphis; Univ. of Memphis mrensel@memphis.edu

Anthropogenic disturbance can be a major source of physiological stress that may go undetected in avian species. Understanding the impact of human influence on stress in threatened or endangered species is also critical to the development and implementation of conservation programs. A two-lane highway bisects the area occupied by our study population of Florida scrub-jays. We investigated the influence of this highway on nestling growth and baseline corticosterone, as well as the relationship between the proximity to the road and juvenile stress responsiveness. Our results indicate that young jays that were raised close to the road exhibited neither signs of chronic stress nor reduced growth. In addition, juveniles residing close to the road do not differ in their stress responsiveness from individuals residing far from the road. Juveniles that resided near the road tended to be in poorer body condition than those farther from the road, however, and mortality rates were higher for individuals close to the road, most likely as a result of collisions with automobiles.