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Ecotourism helps conserve wildlife by increasing the value of wildlife conservation for local people. In Argentina, the world’s largest breeding colony of Magellanic penguins is visited by thousands of tourists every year, causing the penguins to become habituated to the presence of people. Has ecotourism affected the penguins’ ability to respond to stressors? Has it affected the penguins’ secretion of corticosterone?
Corticosterone is a(n):
a. Neurohormone
b. Steroid hormone
c. Amino-acid-derived hormone
d. Polypeptide hormone

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context: The problem discusses the impact of ecotourism on Magellanic penguins, specifically focusing on their stress response and hormone secretion.
2. Identify the main question: The problem asks whether ecotourism has affected the penguins' ability to respond to stressors and their secretion of corticosterone.
3. Clarify the role of corticosterone: Corticosterone is a hormone involved in stress response. It is important to identify what type of hormone it is to answer the question.
4. Review hormone types: Hormones can be classified into different types such as neurohormones, steroid hormones, amino-acid-derived hormones, and polypeptide hormones.
5. Determine the classification of corticosterone: Corticosterone is a steroid hormone, which is derived from cholesterol and plays a role in the stress response in animals.

Key Concepts

Ecotourism and Wildlife Conservation

Ecotourism is a form of sustainable travel that supports the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats. By providing economic benefits to local communities, it incentivizes the protection of wildlife. In the context of the Magellanic penguins in Argentina, ecotourism can increase the perceived value of conserving these animals, potentially leading to better protection and management efforts.

Habituation in Animals

Habituation is a process where animals become accustomed to repeated exposure to a stimulus, such as human presence, and gradually reduce their response to it. For the Magellanic penguins, habituation to tourists might mean they show less stress-related behavior over time. However, this could also affect their natural stress responses, potentially impacting their ability to react to other environmental stressors.

Corticosterone and Stress Response

Corticosterone is a steroid hormone involved in the regulation of energy, immune reactions, and stress responses in animals. It is secreted by the adrenal cortex and plays a crucial role in how animals respond to stress. In the case of the Magellanic penguins, understanding whether ecotourism affects corticosterone levels can provide insights into how human interaction influences their physiological stress responses.