Individual, social, and environmental factors affecting salivary and fecal cortisol levels in captive pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor)

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Price, E., Coleman, R., Ahsmann, J., Glendewar, G., Hunt, J., Smith, T. & Wormell, D. (2019). Individual, social, and environmental factors affecting salivary and fecal cortisol levels in captive pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor). American Journal of Primatology, 81(8), which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23033. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-ArchivingPied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor) are endangered New World primates, and in captivity appear to be very susceptible to stress. We measured cortisol in 214 saliva samples from 36 tamarins and in 227 fecal samples from 27 tamarins, and investigated the effects of age, sex, pregnancy, rearing history, social status, weight, group composition, and enclosure type using generalized linear mixed models. There was no effect of age on either fecal or salivary cortisol levels. Female pied tamarins in late pregnancy had higher fecal cortisol levels than those in early pregnancy, or nonpregnant females, but there was no effect of pregnancy on salivary cortisol. Females had higher salivary cortisol levels than males, but there was no effect of rearing history. However, for fecal cortisol, there was an interaction between sex and rearing history. Hand‐reared tamarins overall had higher fecal cortisol levels, but while male parent‐reared tamarins had higher levels than females who were parent‐ reared, the reverse was true for hand‐reared individuals. There was a trend towards lower fecal cortisol levels in subordinate individuals, but no effect of status on salivary cortisol. Fecal but not salivary cortisol levels declined with increasing weight. We found little effect of group composition on cortisol levels in either saliva or feces, suggesting that as long as tamarins are housed socially, the nature of the group is of less importance. However, animals in off‐show enclosures had higher salivary and fecal cortisol levels than individuals housed on‐show. We suggest that large on‐show enclosures with permanent access to off‐exhibit areas may compensate for the effects of visitor disturbance, and a larger number of tamarins of the same species housed close together may explain the higher cortisol levels found in tamarins living in off‐show accommodation, but further research is needed

Response of Shiraz grapevines to five different training systems in the Barossa Valley, Australia

Copyright © 2008 Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Inc.Own-rooted Shiraz, spaced 1.5 m apart in 2.75 m wide rows, were compared under five different training systems in the Barossa Valley, South Australia over five seasons starting 1995-96. Our objective was to determine how training affected fruit composition and crop yield in a context of efficient vineyard management. Training systems were: (i) low single wire (LSW), in which vines were trained to bi-lateral cordons, 1.0 m above the ground, non-shoot-positioned; (ii) high single wire (HSW), a higher cordon (1.8 m) version of LSW; (iii) vertically shoot positioned (VSP); (iv) Scott Henry, where canopies of alternate vines were cordon-trained and shoot-positioned upwards (SHU) or downwards (SHD); and (v) minimally pruned (MIN), the same as LSW, except vines were not annually spur-pruned. Crop yields (kg/m of row), over four seasons, averaged 4.9 (MIN), 2.9 (combined Scott Henry), 3.2 (VSP), 2.6 (HSW) and 2.9 (LSW). The greatest year-to-year variation in yield occurred with MIN and Scott Henry training. Crop weight of SHD vines was inferior to that of SHU vines in two seasons due to fewer shoots and bunches per vine, and to fewer bunches per shoot. Individual berry weights (g) were consistently least with MIN (0.89), and greatest with VSP (1.17). Fruit from all training systems exhibited similar rates of sugar accumulation during two seasons in which repeated measures of fruit maturation were made. Excepting the relatively light yields observed in 1999-2000, sugar accumulation was delayed in MIN vines, relative to other training systems, even when MIN harvest was delayed up to two weeks. The delay is most readily explained by the greater crops of MIN vines. Berry total anthocyanins and total phenolics concentrations (mg/g berry fresh wt.) at harvest were not greatly affected by training system. Berry anthocyanins and total phenolics exhibited a negative relationship with crop/m of canopy and a slight positive relationship with bunch exposure when evaluated across all training systems. Experimental plot soil depth and water availability affected cane pruning weights, yield per vine, berry weight, and canopy characteristics. LSW, HSW and MIN training systems all provided good yields of high quality fruit, although MIN did have a tendency to produce excessive crops in some years. VSP and Scott Henry training were less attractive due to their inherently greater canopy management requirements.Tony K. Wolf, Peter R. Dry, Patrick G. Iland, David Botting, Joy Dick, Ursula Kennedy and Renata Risti