Researchers at the University of Michigan found that stress hormones can cause morphological change. Tadpoles which release a stress hormone known as corticosterone were found to grow larger tails as a response to being introduced to this hormone. Tadpoles that are attacked by predators release a pheromone that alerts other tadpoles and increases their levels of corticosterone. Tadpoles that were introduced to pheromones over several days had high amounts of corticosterone which caused them to grow larger tales. their is a preadator prey relationship between dragonfly larva and tadpoles. Tadpoles with large tails were put in an enviorment with the dragonfly larva. The tadpoles had much higher survival rates than their counter parts with average size tails. Tadpole tails were also placed in tubes containing corticosterone. The tails grew in size suggesting a direct link between corticosterone and growth in the tadpoles tail.
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130305200204.htm
NOS Themes:
- Science is collaborative
- Science is based on evidence
- Importance of repeatability
Hour 2
It is interesting that stressed tadpoles grow longer tails. I wonder if other organisms adapt to stress in similar ways.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article. I never considered that an indivual frog could increase in size early in its life because of stress or the stress from other tadpoles. too bad that their increased growth doesnt happen a little faster. sounds like a tadpole might have to survive several stressful situations for it to pay off.
ReplyDeleterelated article:
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/03/02/mutant-tadpoles-eyeballs-on-their-tails/