Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34267922›Full record

ArticleConservation physiology2021

Inter- and intra-specific variation in hair cortisol concentrations of Neotropical bats.

Natalia I Sandoval-Herrera, Gabriela F Mastromonaco, Daniel J Becker, Nancy B Simmons, Kenneth C Welch

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Conservation physiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Differences in fur cortisol levels of three migratory bats.Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Natalia I Sandoval-HerreraDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B2, Canada.
Gabriela F MastromonacoReproductive Sciences, Toronto Zoo, Ontario, M1B 5K7, Canada.
Daniel J BeckerDepartment of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.
Nancy B SimmonsDepartment of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024-5102, USA.
Kenneth C WelchDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B2, Canada.
American Museum of Natural History · USThe Scarborough Hospital · CAToronto Zoo · CAUniversity of Oklahoma · USUniversity of Toronto · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Quantifying hair cortisol has become popular in wildlife ecology for its practical advantages for evaluating stress. Before hair cortisol levels can be reliably interpreted, however, it is key to first understand the intrinsic factors explaining intra- and inter-specific variation. Bats are an ecologically diverse group of mammals that allow studying such variation. Given that many bat species are threatened or have declining populations in parts of their range, minimally invasive tools for monitoring colony health and identifying cryptic stressors are needed to efficiently direct conservation efforts. Here we describe intra- and inter-specific sources of variation in hair cortisol levels in 18 Neotropical bat species from Belize and Mexico. We found that fecundity is an important ecological trait explaining inter-specific variation in bat hair cortisol. Other ecological variables such as colony size, roost durability and basal metabolic rate did not explain hair cortisol variation among species. At the individual level, females exhibited higher hair cortisol levels than males and the effect of body mass varied among species. Overall, our findings help validate and accurately apply hair cortisol as a monitoring tool in free-ranging bats.

Identifiers

PMID34267922
PMCPMC8278960
OpenAlexW3181804299

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.