Biomedical subjects

Daniel E Crocker

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel E Crocker.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Angiotensin II and aldosterone increase with fasting in breeding adult male northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris).

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) appears to contribute significantly to osmoregulation of fasting northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) pups; however, RAAS has not been characterized in fasting adult seals. Therefore, this study examined the contribution of RAAS to water turnover rates in fasting adult male northern elephant seals. Blood samples were obtained twice during their breeding fast at an interval of 6.5 wk, and water efflux rate was estimated by isotopic dilution during the same period. Serum electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl-) and osmolality were unaltered between the two sampling periods, indicating ionic and osmotic homeostasis during the fast. Despite the lack of an increase in vasopressin, serum angiotensin II and aldosterone were increased and were significantly and positively correlated. Changes in aldosterone concentration and water efflux rate were significantly and negatively correlated, suggesting that the greater the increase in aldosterone, the smaller the loss of water. Adult male seals maintain ionic and osmotic homeostasis similar to that of fasting weaned pups, and this homeostasis appears to be mediated, at least in part, by RAAS, which probably contributes to increased water retention as well. The hormonal mechanisms by which northern elephant seals maintain water and electrolyte balance during fasting conditions appear to be similar regardless of age.

Aldosterone↗

PubMed2006

Glucose metabolism during lactation in a fasting animal, the northern elephant seal.

Fasting is associated with a series of physiological responses that protect body tissues from degradation by efficiently using expendable energy reserves while sparing protein. Lactation requires the mobilization of maternal nutrients for milk synthesis. The rare life history trait of fasting simultaneous with lactation results in the conflicting demands of provisioning offspring while meeting maternal metabolic costs and preserving maternal tissues for her own survival and future reproduction. Certain tissues continue to require glucose for operation during fasting and might constrain tissue mobilization for lactogenesis due to a need for gluconeogenic substrates. This study investigated glucose flux, glucose cycle activity, and the influence of regulatory hormones in fasting lactating northern elephant seals. Measurements were taken early (5 days) and late (21 days) during the lactation period and, as a nonlactating comparison, after the completion of molting. Glucose cycle activity was highly variable in all study groups and did not change over lactation (P > 0.3), whereas endogenous glucose production decreased during lactation (t = -3.41, P = 0.008). Insulin and insulin-to-glucagon molar ratio decreased across lactation (t = 6.48, 4.28; P = 0.0001, 0.002), while plasma cortisol level increased (t = 4.15, P = 0.002). There were no relationships between glucose production and hormone levels. The glucose production values measured exceeded that predicted from available gluconeogenic substrate, indicating substantial glucose recycling in this species.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Interpolation of animal tracking data in a fluid environment.

Interpolation of geolocation or Argos tracking data is a necessity for habitat use analyses of marine vertebrates. In a fluid marine environment, characterized by curvilinear structures, linearly interpolated track data are not realistic. Based on these two facts, we interpolated tracking data from albatrosses, penguins, boobies, sea lions, fur seals and elephant seals using six mathematical algorithms. Given their popularity in mathematical computing, we chose Bézier, hermite and cubic splines, in addition to a commonly used linear algorithm to interpolate data. Performance of interpolation methods was compared with different temporal resolutions representative of the less-precise geolocation and the more-precise Argos tracking techniques. Parameters from interpolated sub-sampled tracks were compared with those obtained from intact tracks. Average accuracy of the interpolated location was not affected by the interpolation method and was always within the precision of the tracking technique used. However, depending on the species tested, some curvilinear interpolation algorithms produced greater occurrences of more accurate locations, compared with the linear interpolation method. Total track lengths were consistently underestimated but were always more accurate using curvilinear interpolation than linear interpolation. Curvilinear algorithms are safe to use because accuracy, shape and length of the tracks are either not different or are slightly enhanced and because analyses always remain conservative. The choice of the curvilinear algorithm does not affect the resulting track dramatically so it should not preclude their use. We thus recommend using curvilinear interpolation techniques because of the more realistic fluid movements of animals. We also provide some guidelines for choosing an algorithm that is most likely to maximize track quality for different types of marine vertebrates.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2005

Ocean climate and seal condition.

BACKGROUND: The condition of many marine mammals varies with fluctuations in productivity and food supply in the ocean basin where they forage. Prey is impacted by physical environmental variables such as cyclic warming trends. The weaning weight of northern elephant seal pups, Mirounga angustirostris, being closely linked to maternal condition, indirectly reflects prey availability and foraging success of pregnant females in deep waters of the northeastern Pacific. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ocean climate on foraging success in this deep-diving marine mammal over the course of three decades, using cohort weaning weight as the principal metric of successful resource accrual. RESULTS: The mean annual weaning weight of pups declined from 1975 to the late 1990s, a period characterized by a large-scale, basin-wide warm decadal regime that included multiple strong or long-duration El Niños; and increased with a return to a cool decadal regime from about 1999 to 2004. Increased foraging effort and decreased mass gain of adult females, indicative of reduced foraging success and nutritional stress, were associated with high ocean temperatures. CONCLUSION: Despite ranging widely and foraging deeply in cold waters beyond coastal thermoclines in the northeastern Pacific, elephant seals are impacted significantly by ocean thermal dynamics. Ocean warming redistributes prey decreasing foraging success of females, which in turn leads to lower weaning mass of pups. Annual fluctuations in weaning mass, in turn, reflect the foraging success of females during the year prior to giving birth and signals changes in ocean temperature cycles.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Glucose production and substrate cycle activity in a fasting adapted animal, the northern elephant seal.

During prolonged fasting physiological mechanisms defend lean tissue from catabolism. In the fasting state, glucose is derived solely from gluconeogenesis, requiring some catabolism of amino acids for gluconeogenic substrates. This creates a conflict in animals undergoing fasts concurrently with metabolically challenging activities. This study investigated glucose metabolism in fasting and developing neonatal elephant seals. Glucose production and glucose cycle activity were measured early (2 weeks) and late (6 weeks) in the postweaning fasting period. Additionally the role of regulatory hormones on glucose production and glucose cycle activity were investigated. Glucose cycle activity was highly variable throughout the study period, did not change over the fasting period, and was not correlated with insulin or glucagon level. Endogenous glucose production (EGP) was 2.80+/-0.65 mg kg(-1) min(-1) early and 2.21+/-0.12 during late fasting. Insulin to glucagon molar ratio decreased while cortisol levels increased over the fast (t=5.27, 2.84; P=0.003, 0.04; respectively). There was no relationship between EGP and hormone levels. The glucose production values measured in this study were high and exceeded the estimated gluconeogenic substrate available. These data suggest extensive glucose recycling via Cori cycle activity occurring in northern elephant seals, and we propose a possible justification for this recycling.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Stroke volume and cardiac output in juvenile elephant seals during forced dives.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of forced diving on cardiac dynamics in a diving mammal by evaluating cardiac output and heart rate. We used MR Imaging and phase contrast flow analysis to obtain accurate flow measurements from the base of the aorta. Heart rate (fh) and cardiac output (Q) were measured before, during and after dives in four restrained juvenile northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, and stroke volume (Vs) was calculated (Vs=Q/fh). Mean Q during diving (4011+/-387 ml min(-1)) and resting (6530+/-1018 ml min(-1)) was not significantly different (paired t-test; P<0.055). Diving was accompanied by a 20% increase in Vs over the pre-dive level. Pre-dive, post-dive or diving fh was not significantly correlated with Vs during any state. Diving Vs correlated negatively with the bradycardic ratio (diving fh to pre-dive fh). In this study, the degree of bradycardia during diving was less than in previous pinniped studies, suggesting that the reduction in vagal input may contribute to the observed increase in Vs.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

The effect of a low-frequency sound source (acoustic thermometry of the ocean climate) on the diving behavior of juvenile northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris.

Changes in the diving behavior of individual free-ranging juvenile northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, exposed to the acoustic thermometry of the ocean climate (ATOC) sound source were examined using data loggers. Data loggers were attached to the animals and measured swim speed, maximum depth of dive, dive duration, surface interval, descent and ascent rate, and descent and ascent angle along with sound pressure level (SPL). The ATOC sound source was at a depth of 939 m and transmitted at 195 dB re: 1 microPa at 1 m centered at 75 Hz with a 37.5-Hz bandwidth. Sound pressure levels (SPL) measured at the seal during transmissions averaged 128 dB and ranged from 118 to 137 dB re: 1 microPa for the 60-90 Hz band, in comparison to ambient levels of 87-107 dB within this band. In no case did an animal end its dive or show any other obvious change in behavior upon exposure to the ATOC sound. Subtle changes in diving behavior were detected, however. During exposure, deviations in descent rate were greater than 1 s.d. of the control mean in 9 of 14 seals. Dive depth increased and descent velocity increased in three animals, ascent velocity decreased in two animals, ascent rate increased in one animal and decreased in another, and dive duration decreased in only one animal. There was a highly significant positive correlation between SPL and descent rate. The biological significance of these subtle changes is likely to be minimal. This is the first study to quantify behavioral responses of an animal underwater with simultaneous measurements of SPL of anthropogenic sounds recorded at the animal.

Acoustics↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Age, sex, and reproductive state influence free amino acid concentrations in the fasting elephant seal.

Long-term fasting is a component of northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) life history requiring physiological adaptations to nitrogen conservation. Plasma free amino acids (FAAs) were determined for five elephant seal pups during the second and eighth weeks of the postweaning fast, six lactating female seals at 4-6 and 25 d postpartum, and seven sexually competitive adult male seals taken midway through the breeding season. Total FAAs declined in lactating females (11%) and pups (30%) with time fasting, but cystine concentration more than doubled in pups while decreasing by approximately 43% in lactating females. Methionine concentration significantly increased (approximately 68%) across lactation in adult females but was low for all classes of seal. Alanine was the most abundant FAA in adult males, and glycine became the dominant FAA in adult females late in lactation. Glutamine dominated the FAAs of weaned pups across the fast. Reductions in total FAAs of weanlings mirrored reductions in protein catabolism, but reductions in total FAAs also occurred in lactating females concomitant with an increase in protein catabolism. Observed variation in FAA concentrations may reflect ontogenetic requirements for certain amino acids in fasting weanlings. Similarly, increases in specific FAA concentrations across lactation may reflect variations in FAA flux resulting from the nutrient demands of lactogenesis.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Physiology and behavior influence lactation efficiency in northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris).

The efficiency with which mothers convert acquired energy into milk is a key determinant of the magnitude of parental investment in mammals; however, the mechanisms underlying lactation efficiency are poorly understood. Investigations on northern elephant seals have shown lactation efficiency, measured as the proportion of total energy expenditure that goes to the pup as milk, increases with age. In a cross-sectional study the physiological and behavioral determinants of lactation efficiency were investigated in eight young and seven prime (older) elephant seals by conducting behavioral observations and collecting milk, blood, and tissue on days 3 and 22 of lactation. Milk composition, circulating fatty acid and triglyceride concentrations, and mammary and blubber lipoprotein lipase activity were determined. Prime females had significantly greater percent milk fat and circulating fatty acids on day 3 than did young females, but these differences disappeared by day 22. The ability for prime females to produce higher-energy milk early in lactation may allow them to increase lactation efficiency by increasing the rate of energy transfer. In addition, prime females spent significantly more time resting. A combination of reduced activity and more rapid energy delivery likely explains the increase in lactation efficiency with age found in a previous study.

Age Factors↗