Consequences of Acute Stress and Cortisol Manipulation on the Physiology, Behavior, and Reproductive Outcome of Female Pacific Salmon on Spawning Grounds

Life-history theory predicts that stress responses should be muted to maximize reproductive fitness. Yet, the relationship between stress and reproduction for semelparous salmon is unusual because successfully spawning individuals have elevated plasma cortisol levels. To tease apart the effects of high baseline cortisol levels and stress-induced elevation of cortisol titers, we determined how varying degrees […]