Testosterone production in response to exogenous gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH challenge) depends on social environment and color polymorphism

Abstract

Testosterone is an important mediator of behavior, morphology and physiology. A cascade of signals regulates the amount of testosterone (T) circulating in the plasma; in response to stimulus the hypothalamus releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which triggers secretion of gonadotropins from the pituitary, stimulating the synthesis and release of T from the gonads. Previous work has shown that changes to the social environment can alter circulating T-levels, which may have important fitness consequences, but it is currently unclear whether these changes are due to alterations in the signal from the brain, or changes in the ability of the pituitary and gonads to respond to this signal. Further, the strength and direction of response to a changing environment may differ according to life-history strategy. Species with genetically determined alternative strategies offer a pathway for examining these differences. Here we use a finch with a genetically determined polymorphism, the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae), to determine whether T-levels change in response to social environment. We also use injections of GnRH to determine whether these changes are due to alterations in the ability of the pituitary and gonads to respond to this signal. We found that social environment (presence of females) had a rapid effect on male circulating T-levels, and that this difference was reflected in responsiveness to GnRH. We observed no overall morph differences in T-levels, but we did observe morph differences in the pattern of T secretion across environments, and morph differences in the repeatability of T-levels across time and environment.