Biology Commons^™

Neurobiology Of Seasonal Life-History Transitions, Ashley Rae Lucas

Dissertations and Theses

Many animals exhibit seasonal changes in life-history stages, and these seasonal transitions are often accompanied by dramatic switches in behavior. While the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate such behavioral transitions are poorly understood, arginine vasotocin (AVT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are excellent candidates because they regulate reproductive and feeding behavior, respectively. In this study, I asked if seasonal changes in AVT and/or NPY are concomitant with spring migration away from the breeding grounds, as male and female red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) are transitioning from reproductive to non-reproductive behavior during this time. To address this question, I collected …