Metabolic Costs and Immune System Impacts from Chronic Cortisol Elevation and Decreased Energy Acquisition

The objective of this proposed effort is to determine the metabolic and immune system costs to chronic stress in the bottlenose dolphin. To this end, metabolic hormones and immune function markers are to be measured in concert with experimental manipulations of circulating cortisol and metabolic rate measurements. Dr. Daniel Crocker will provide the laboratory facilities to be used for most hormone and immune system marker. Dr. Crocker will also oversee the laboratory analyses and participate in data analyses and manuscript preparation.