Meeting Abstract

114.6  Tuesday, Jan. 7 11:30  We gotta get out of this place: Relationships between corticosterone and dispersal distance in the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) FERGUSON, S.M.*; SMALL, T.W.; SCHOECH, S.J; University of Memphis; University of Memphis; University of Memphis s.ferguson@memphis.edu

Dispersal from the natal territory prior to breeding is a mechanism that serves to reduce the chances of inbreeding and reduce competition among closely related individuals. The glucocorticoid, corticosterone (CORT) in birds, is important for energy mobilization and can influence activity levels, both important factors in dispersal. Indeed, glucocorticoid levels are correlated with dispersal activity in multiple taxa, including birds. Recent research by our group has found that early developmental exposure to CORT can have profound long-term effects and shape both an individual’s behavioral phenotype and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness (i.e., CORT response to a stressor). Thus, an individual’s early life experiences may play an important role in influencing dispersal behavior. To explore relationships between CORT and dispersal distance in Florida scrub-jays (FSJ), we recorded the distance from an individual’s natal nest to the nest of their first breeding territory over a 7 year period. FSJs exhibit sex-biased dispersal patterns, with females dispersing further than males regardless of habitat quality. Preliminary analysis suggests males and females show no difference in either baseline or corrected integrated CORT. We will explore connections between baseline and corrected integrated CORT on dispersal distance and discuss causes of and implications for sex-based differences and the effects of early development on behavior at maturity.