Main description:

From 11 to 15 July 1977 about 60 physiologists, endo crinologists, ecologists and other biologists from 14 countries convened at the University Montpellier for a symposium on Environmental Endocrinology. This meet ing was organized as a Satellite Symposium of the 27th International Congress of Physiological Sciences, Paris, 18-23 July 1977. This volume is a record of the com munications presented at the symposium. The objectives of the program were to examine the role of the endocrine system in a wide spectrum of adjustments and adaptations to changes in environmental conditions by various spe cies of animals, including man, and to promote an ex change of ideas among investigators who have approached these functions from diverse aspects. The diversity of the information and ideas communicated is great. Of necessity, they represent only an extremely modest se lection of the many facets of endocrine function in the interaction of animals with their environments. Be yond the usefulness of the communications individually, we hope that they collectively demonstrate the substan tial heuristic value of the concept of environmental endocrinology as it was perceived by the participants. We acknowledge gratefully the kindness and sympathy of Professor Jaques ROUZAUD, President of the University of Montpellier II, for his generous extension of the hospitality of the University to the Symposium. We are most grateful to Mrs. Monique VIEU who effected so well the secretarial organization of the Sympos.

Contents:

Introduction: What is Environmental Endocrinology?.- Introductory Lecture - Emotion and Stress.- I Annual Endocrine Rhythms and Environment.- 1. Seasonal States and Endocrine Levels in Insects.- 2. Annual Gonadal Cycles in Teleosts: Environmental Factors and Gonadotropin Levels in Blood.- 3. Environmental Regulation of Annual Reproductive Cycles in the Catfish Heteropneustes fossilis.- 4. Environmental Control of Annual Ovarian Cycles in the Toad Bufo bufo bufo L.: Role of Temperature.- 5. Reptilian Reproductive Cycles and Environmental Regulators.- 6. Environmental Endocrinology and the Control of Annual Reproductive Cycles in Passerine Birds.- 7. Annual Endocrine Cycles and Environment in Birds with Special Reference to Male Ducks.- 8. Regulation of Reproductive Cycles of Tropical Spotted Munia and Weaverbird.- 9. Breeding Cycles in Three Species of African Ungulates.- 10. The Annual Cycle of Plasma Testosterone and Territorial Behavior in the Roe Deer.- 11. Annual Cyclic Variations in Prolactin in Sheep.- 12. Seasonal Reproductive Activity of the European Wild Boar. Comparison with the Domestic Sow.- 13. Field Studies in Southern Tunisia on Water Turnover and Thyroid Activity in Two Species of Meriones.- 14. Seasonal Changes of the Testicular and Thyroid Functions in the Badger, Meles meles L..- 15. Day Length and the Annual Reproductive Cycle in the Ferret (Mustela furo): the Role of the Pineal Body.- 16. Photoperiodic Mechanism in Hamsters: The Participation of the Pineal Gland.- 17. Seasonal Variations in the Endocrine System of Hibernators.- 18. Seasonal Changes and Environmental Control of Testicular Function in the Hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus L..- 19. Annual Endocrine Rhythms in Healthy Young Adult Men: Their Implication in Human Biology and Medicine.- II Diurnal Endocrine Rhythms and Environment.- 1. Endocrine Concomitants of the Sleep-Wake Rhythm in Man.- 2. Effect of Sex Hormones on the Circadian Rhythm of Slow-Wave and Paradoxical Sleep in Female Rats.- 3. Role of Brain Monoamines in the Regulation of the Circadian Variations of Activity of some Neuroendocrine Axes.- 4. Diurnal Rhythms and the Seasonal Reproductive Cycle in Birds.- 5. Central Neural Control of Endocrine Rhythms in the Rat.- 6. Circadian Pattern of Secretion of Hormones by the Anterior Pituitary Gland with Particular Reference to the Involvement of Serotonin in Their Rhythmic Regulation.- 7. Circadian Rhythms within and outside Their Ranges of Entrainment.- 8. Effects of Ahemeral Environmental Periodicities on the Rhythms of Adrenocortical and Locomotor Functions in Rats and Japanese Quail.- 9. Problems of Re-entrainment of Circadian Rhythms: Asymmetry Effect, Dissociation and Partition.- 10. Rapid Re-entrainment of the Estrous Cycle of Hamsters to Reversal of Scotophase and Photophase.- 11. Responses of the Diurnal Locomotor and Adrenocortical Rhythms in Rats exposed to a Weekly 8-Hour Phase Shift of the Zeitgeber.- III Endocrine Functions in Osmoregulation.- 1. Hormonal Control of Sodium Transport by the Gills of Teleost Fish.- 2. Environment and Osmoregulation among Lungfish and Amphibians.- 3. Osmoregulation and Hormones in Reptiles.- 4. Hormonal Regulation of Salt and Water Balance in Granivorous Birds.- 5. Endocrine Responses in Osmoregulation: Hormonal Adaptation in Aquatic Birds.- 6. Hormones and Mammalian Osmoregulation.- IV Endocrine Responses to Stress.- 1. Feedback and Facilitation in the Adrenocortical System and the Endocrine Responses to Repeated Stimuli.- 2. Is Posterior-Hypophysial Corticotropin Involved in Neurogenic Stress?.- 3. Endocrine Responses to Acoustic Stresses.- 4. Concentrations of Certain Hormones in the Blood of Human Males Subjected to Steady-State Noise.- V Endocrine Responses to Hyperbaria and Hypobaria.- 1. Endocrine Responses to Elevated Ambient Pressure.- 2. High Altitude Hypoxia and Adrenal Development in the Rat: Enzymes for Biogenic Amines.- 3. Endocrine Responses to Chronic High Altitude Exposure.- VI Endocrine Responses to Ambient Temperature.- 1. The Endocrine Component of Human Adaptation to Cold and Heat.- 2. Human Growth Hormone Secretion in Responses to Cold and Heat.- VII Endocrine Responses to Malnutrition.- 1. Neuroendocrine Aspects of Reproduction in Experimental Malnutrition.- 2. Endocrine Responses to Malnutrition in Animals with Special Reference to Metabolic Hormones.- 3. Endocrine Responses to Malnutrition in Man.