Fecal hormones and blood sample data for evaluating sources of stress in Otaridids, wild northern fur seals, 2016-2017

This project makes use of biological samples and data obtained during diet manipulation experiments with captive northern fur seals #_msocom_1 . This study analyzes a complementary set of blood samples, fecal samples, and physiological data that was obtained from fur seals subject to changing diets – including controlled periods of nutritional stress – on a seasonal basis. Five trained female northern fur seals (born June 2008) underwent two sets of controlled feeding trials from 14 January to 26 May 2016, and between 01 November 2016 to 04 April 2017. Each fur seal was subject to 5 different diets for 3 weeks per diet. The experimental diets were designed to provide different levels of food mass and macronutrient intake while maintaining a relatively constant gross energy intake. There were 5 diets fed at normal ad libitum intake levels within training requirements, as well as a period of Restriction, where food intake was limited to induce body mass loss. Blood samples were collected at the start and end of each diet for hematology, biochemistry, and hormone analysis (T3, T4, and cortisol). Fecal samples were also collected after each diet for hormone analysis (T3, T4, corticosterone) and determining dry matter digestibility. Additional physiological variables collected included daily body mass, body composition (via deuterium dilution), and resting metabolic rate (via gas respirometry.

本项目使用了人工饲养北部北海狗（Northern fur seal）在日粮调控实验中获取的生物样本与相关数据#_msocom_1。本研究对取自该批海狗的配套血液样本、粪便样本及生理数据展开分析，这些样本与数据采集自日粮动态变化的实验个体——包括按周期设置的营养胁迫阶段。5只经过训练的雌性北部北海狗（出生于2008年6月）分别于2016年1月14日至5月26日，以及2016年11月1日至2017年4月4日期间，完成了两组受控饲喂试验。每只海狗需先后接受5种不同日粮，每种日粮的饲喂周期为3周。实验日粮的设计目标为在保持总能量摄入相对恒定的前提下，提供不同水平的食物质量与宏量营养素摄入量。其中5种日粮按照训练要求设置为正常自由采食水平，另有一组限制性饲喂阶段，通过限制进食量诱导个体体质量下降。在每种日粮实验的起始与结束阶段采集血液样本，用于血液学检测、生化指标分析及激素（三碘甲状腺原氨酸T3、甲状腺素T4、皮质醇）分析。每种日粮实验结束后还将采集粪便样本，用于激素（三碘甲状腺原氨酸T3、甲状腺素T4、皮质酮）分析及干物质消化率测定。额外采集的生理指标还包括每日体质量、身体成分（通过氘稀释法测定）以及静息代谢率（通过气体代谢测热法测定）。