Egg cortisol exposure enhances fearfulness in larvae and juvenile rainbow trout

TY - JOUR

T1 - Egg cortisol exposure enhances fearfulness in larvae and juvenile rainbow trout

AU - Colson, Violaine

AU - Valotaire, Claudiane

AU - Geffroy, Benjamin

AU - Kiilerich, Pia

PY - 2015/12/1

Y1 - 2015/12/1

N2 - We investigated the effects of an early boost of cortisol exposure in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs during fertilisation on subsequent behavioural responses when exposed to a sudden stimulus in larvae and juveniles. At 55 d post-fertilisation (dpf), treatment had no effect on high accelerations occurring after a sudden event. At 146 dpf, these high accelerations were more frequent in cortisol-treated fish than in controls. At 146 dpf also, swimming activity was increased in cortisol-treated fish both before and after the sudden stimulus. This study underlines the important behavioural modifications in both larvae and juveniles, linked to a change in the surrounding environment of the embryo. Indeed, fish exposed to cortisol as eggs showed a higher level of fearfulness later in life. Our findings are of major interest for stress management in an aquaculture context and also allow for a better understanding of the long-lasting effects of a permanent and/or acute stress - mediated by cortisol - that could be encountered by females, affecting population's life history trajectory.

AB - We investigated the effects of an early boost of cortisol exposure in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs during fertilisation on subsequent behavioural responses when exposed to a sudden stimulus in larvae and juveniles. At 55 d post-fertilisation (dpf), treatment had no effect on high accelerations occurring after a sudden event. At 146 dpf, these high accelerations were more frequent in cortisol-treated fish than in controls. At 146 dpf also, swimming activity was increased in cortisol-treated fish both before and after the sudden stimulus. This study underlines the important behavioural modifications in both larvae and juveniles, linked to a change in the surrounding environment of the embryo. Indeed, fish exposed to cortisol as eggs showed a higher level of fearfulness later in life. Our findings are of major interest for stress management in an aquaculture context and also allow for a better understanding of the long-lasting effects of a permanent and/or acute stress - mediated by cortisol - that could be encountered by females, affecting population's life history trajectory.

KW - Cortisol

KW - Egg

KW - Emotional reactivity

KW - Prenatal stress

KW - Rainbow trout

KW - Swimming behaviour

U2 - 10.1111/eth.12437

DO - 10.1111/eth.12437

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0179-1613

VL - 121

SP - 1191

EP - 1201

JO - Ethology

JF - Ethology

IS - 12

ER -