Reality as the leading cause of stress: rethinking the impact of chronic stress in nature

• Published in: Functional ecology Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 11 - 23
• Main Author: Boonstra, Rudy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Blackwell Publishing 01.02.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: acute and chronic stress; Animals; Ecology; Elks; fitness; general adaptation syndrome; Hares; homeostasis; Human ecology; pathology; Population ecology; predation risk; Predators; reactive and anticipatory stress; Snowshoes; SPECIAL FEATURE: THE ECOLOGY OF STRESS; Spermophilus; Stress functions; Stress response

1. Chronic activation of the stress axis caused by long-term uncontrollable and unpredictable factors in the environment has been regarded as causing maladaptive and/or pathological effects, both by those studying animals in the laboratory and in nature. While pathology may apply to the former, I ar...