Are trends in hormones from the right and left earplugs of the same individual baleen whale the same?
Progesterone, the pregnancy hormone, plays a huge role in population dynamics when extracted from earplugs.
There are three stress biomarkers that the marine mammal field is interested in right now: cortisol, corticosterone, and aldosterone.
Do hormones in the right and left earplugs from the same individuals match? What does ''baseline'' mean for hormones?
I examine stress and sex hormones in the earplug, baleen, and blubber of the same individuals to ascertain the consistency of hormone deposition.