Open AccessStress and reproductive events detected in North Atlantic right whale blubber using a simplified hormone extraction protocol
Author(s) -
Katherine M. Graham,
Elizabeth A. Burgess,
Rosalind M. Rolland
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
conservation physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.942
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2051-1434
DOI - 10.1093/conphys/coaa133
Subject(s) - blubber , biology , testosterone (patch) , zoology , extraction (chemistry) , fishery , endocrinology , chromatography , chemistry
Analytical and biological validations of blubber hormone measurements were conducted for North Atlantic right whales. A simplified blubber hormone extraction protocol was successfully developed, improving the efficiency of sample preparation. Cortisol was elevated in whales that died from anthropogenic causes, and reproductive hormone concentrations showed meaningful patterns across known reproductive states.