Seasonal variation of fecal corticosterone concentrations in Wisconsin sandhill cranes

Accompanying data for a fecal corticosterone study in sandhill cranes performed at the International Crane Foundation. In this study, fecal corticosterone concentration was examined in a wild population of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roosting at a site along the Wisconsin River between their arrival to departure from the region. We investigated the association of seasonality and environmental stimuli including temperature, humidity, photoperiod, and Wisconsin River discharge on corticosterone over time. Fecal corticosterone concentrations in this population peaked during spring migration, with smaller increases also seen in summer and in fall migration. Environmental factors were found to be poor predictors of fecal corticosterone in this study. The results of this study provide preliminary baseline levels of fecal corticosterone in a population of sandhill cranes and demonstrate the presence of seasonal variation in corticosterone concentrations similar to patterns observed in other avian species.本数据为国际鹤类基金会（International Crane Foundation）开展的沙丘鹤粪便皮质酮（fecal corticosterone）研究的配套数据集。本研究针对栖息于威斯康星河沿岸某点位的野生沙丘鹤（sandhill cranes，学名Grus canadensis）种群，在其抵达该区域至离开的完整周期内，对其粪便皮质酮浓度进行了检测。本研究探究了季节性变化以及温度、湿度、光周期（photoperiod）、威斯康星河径流量（Wisconsin River discharge）等环境因子随时间推移对皮质酮水平的关联影响。该种群的粪便皮质酮浓度在春季迁徙期达到峰值，夏季与秋季迁徙期亦呈现小幅升高的趋势。本研究显示，环境因子对粪便皮质酮水平的预测效果欠佳。本研究结果为沙丘鹤种群的粪便皮质酮水平提供了初步基线参考值，并证实该种群的皮质酮浓度存在季节性变化模式，该模式与其他鸟类物种中观测到的规律相一致。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集研究了威斯康星州沙丘鹤粪便皮质酮浓度的季节性变化，发现春季迁徙期浓度最高，夏季和秋季迁徙期也有增加，但环境因素（温度、湿度、光周期、河流流量）预测能力较弱。数据集提供了沙丘鹤皮质酮的基线水平，并展示了与其他鸟类相似的季节性变异模式。