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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?
If penguins in a colony are habituated to the presence of tourists, how would their corticosterone response to being visited by tourists compare to that of penguins in a colony not previously exposed to tourists?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of corticosterone: Corticosterone is a hormone involved in the stress response in birds. It is secreted by the adrenal glands and helps the organism to cope with stressors by mobilizing energy reserves and modulating immune responses.
2. Consider the concept of habituation: Habituation is a process where an animal becomes accustomed to a stimulus after repeated exposure, leading to a decrease in its physiological or behavioral response. In this context, penguins that are frequently exposed to tourists may become habituated to their presence.
3. Analyze the potential impact of ecotourism on stress response: If penguins are habituated to tourists, their corticosterone levels may not increase as much in response to tourists compared to penguins that are not habituated. This is because habituated penguins perceive tourists as less of a threat.
4. Compare corticosterone responses: To determine the effect of habituation, compare the corticosterone levels of penguins in colonies frequently visited by tourists with those in colonies that are not. Habituated penguins are expected to have a lower corticosterone response to tourists.
5. Evaluate the implications for conservation: If habituation reduces stress responses without negatively impacting the penguins' health, ecotourism could be beneficial by providing economic incentives for conservation while minimizing stress-related impacts on wildlife.

Key Concepts

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of sustainable travel that supports the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats while providing economic benefits to local communities. It aims to minimize the impact on the environment and promote awareness and respect for local cultures and ecosystems. In the context of wildlife, ecotourism can lead to habituation, where animals become accustomed to human presence.

Habituation

Habituation is a psychological process where an organism reduces its response to a repeated stimulus over time. In wildlife, habituation can occur when animals are frequently exposed to humans, leading them to become less sensitive to human presence. This can affect their natural behaviors and stress responses, potentially impacting their ability to react to other environmental stressors.

Corticosterone

Corticosterone is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex in response to stress. It plays a crucial role in energy regulation, immune response, and stress adaptation. In birds, corticosterone levels can indicate how they respond to stressors, such as human disturbance. Habituated penguins may exhibit altered corticosterone responses compared to those not exposed to tourists, reflecting changes in their stress physiology.