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. Identify the type of hormone corticosterone is by understanding its chemical structure and synthesis. Corticosterone is synthesized in the adrenal cortex from cholesterol, which is a characteristic of steroid hormones.
2. Review the options given: a. neurohormone, b. steroid hormone, c. amino-acid-derived hormone, d. polypeptide hormone. Knowing that steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol helps eliminate other options.
3. Understand the function of corticosterone in animals, which is to regulate metabolism and immune response, and is involved in stress responses. This function aligns with that of steroid hormones.
4. Recall that steroid hormones, like corticosterone, can cross cell membranes and bind to intracellular receptors, influencing gene expression directly, which is a key characteristic distinguishing them from peptide or amino-acid-derived hormones.
5. Conclude that corticosterone is a steroid hormone, making option 'b' the correct answer.

Key Concepts

Ecotourism and Wildlife Conservation

Ecotourism is a sustainable travel approach that focuses on visiting natural areas to conserve the environment and improve the well-being of local communities. It aims to create economic incentives for wildlife conservation by attracting tourists, which can lead to increased funding and awareness for protecting species and their habitats. However, it can also lead to challenges, such as wildlife habituation to human presence, which may affect their natural behaviors and stress responses.

Corticosterone

Corticosterone is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex in response to stress. It plays a crucial role in the body's stress response, influencing metabolism, immune response, and behavior. In wildlife, elevated levels of corticosterone can indicate stress, which may arise from environmental changes, human interaction, or habitat disturbances. Understanding its secretion patterns is essential for assessing the impact of ecotourism on animal welfare.

Hormone Classification

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate various physiological processes in the body. They can be classified into different categories based on their structure: steroid hormones (like corticosterone) are derived from cholesterol, while peptide hormones are made of amino acids. Understanding these classifications helps in comprehending how hormones function and interact with target cells, influencing behaviors and physiological responses in animals, including stress reactions in penguins.