Relationship between rank and plasma testosterone and cortisol in red deer males (Cervus elaphus)

BARTOŠ, Luděk, SCHAMS, D., BUBENÍK, G.A., KOTRBA, Radim and TOMÁNEK, Milan. Relationship between rank and plasma testosterone and cortisol in red deer males (Cervus elaphus). Physiology & Behavior, 2010, 101, 628-634. ISSN 0031-9384.
Year2010
CathegoryScientific publication in impacted journals
Internal link10216.pdf
Abstract

A group of twelve adult red deer males (Cervus elaphus) was tested in two social settings. From April 15 to June 9 (Period 1) this group was kept separately in an enclosure. On June 10, nine 3-year-old males were added to that group of adult males and kept there by August 31 (Period 2). Adding much younger and smaller sparring partners into the experimental group of adult males in Period 2 altered the agonistic behaviour of the adults even though this did not trigger any change in rank position of the experimental males except one. Adult males targeted preferentially their attacks on individuals much lower in the hierarchy. Experimental male deer with higher social rank had lower levels of testosterone in Period 1; in Period 2 it was just the opposite. In Period 1 the animals had higher cortisol levels than in Period 2. Thus, changing the social environment of adult red deer males resulted in change of the relationship between rank and testosterone and cortisol concentrations.