Antelope adaptations to counteract overheating and water deficit in arid environments

Blank, David A.; Li, Yaoming

doi:10.1007/s40333-022-0076-y

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…However, areas of Africa with sparse concentration of sequenced genomes, such as the Sahel, Horn of Africa, Kalahari, and Namib drylands, are home to the highly endemic species adapted to distinct and peculiar environmental conditions. These species include the Addax antelope ( Addax nasomaculatus ), which is notable for its use of desolate, inhospitable, and arid Sahel habitats (Collins, 2001), and the Springbok ( Antidorcas marsupialis ), a Kalahari antelope that exhibits extreme drought tolerance by going through the entire dry season without drinking water (Blank & Li, 2022). As a result, these and other future genomes of vertebrates produced from these “harsh” places are extremely valuable in terms of revealing and comprehending the underlying processes for vertebrate adaptations in extreme habitat.…”

Section: Wild Africa Vertebrate Genomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…which is notable for its use of desolate, inhospitable, and arid Sahel habitats (Collins, 2001), and the Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), a Kalahari antelope that exhibits extreme drought tolerance by going through the entire dry season without drinking water (Blank & Li, 2022). As a result, these and other future genomes of vertebrates produced from these "harsh" places are extremely valuable in terms of revealing and comprehending the underlying processes for vertebrate adaptations in extreme habitat.…”

Section: Biogeographical Patterns Of the Sequenced Africa Vertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vertebrate genomics and adaptation – Status and prospects in Africa

Ishengoma

2023

Molecular Ecology

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Africa is considered the "mother continent" from which the first hominins arose.The diversified wildlife and flora of Africa, which ranges from those in the scorching Sahara and Kalahari deserts to those in the vast Savannas and wet tropical forests, are also the most diverse of any continent. Although the continent's abundance and diversity of living resources have provided critical means of subsistence for its inhabitants, future utilization of this biodiversity will demand a fundamental understanding of genetic variation and its adaptive capabilities in the face of natural and man-made stressors. Molecular ecological insights have previously been gained from a variety of vertebrate species native to Africa, and some of these discoveries have larger evolutionary and conservation implications. Despite lagging in genomics research, African scientists are increasingly eager to use the increasingly accessible -omics technology to routinely sequence more animals and plants native to Africa. This overview, which focuses on Africa's vertebrate biodiversity, aims to provide a continental scale perspective on organismal and ecological adaptations discovered through prior genomics research, as well as what conceptually these findings suggest for future research.

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Section: Wild Africa Vertebrate Genomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Biogeographical Patterns Of the Sequenced Africa Vertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertebrate genomics and adaptation – Status and prospects in Africa

Ishengoma

2023

Molecular Ecology

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“…The remaining large permanent waterholes are extensively used by the local saiga population for drinking, geophagia (deliberate soil ingestion) and cooling down during the summer heat (Gilev and Karenina 2015). Concentration around permanent water sources is typical behaviour of antelopes living in arid areas (Blank and Li 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social arenas in the open habitat: the social role of waterholes for saiga antelope

Giljov,

Karenina

2024

Therya

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In wild animals, specific locations may function as ‘social arenas’ playing a significant role in various aspects of intraspecific interactions. The emergence of such social arenas is assumed to be particularly important under conditions of low visibility and density of individuals typical for forest dwelling species. In the forest, open areas with a high probability of meeting conspecifics such as waterholes and mineral licks can favor socialization. The paucity of studies on the open-habitat species limits our understanding of whether forest habitat is an essential condition for the emergence of social arenas. Here we address this issue by investigating whether resource hotspots function as social arenas in a species adapted to open habitat. The social behaviour in groups of saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica tatarica) was recorded at large permanent waterholes (serving also as mineral licks) and away from them in the steppe environment. The frequency and variety of social interactions between the group mates were compared with a special effort made to minimize the potential impact of other factors besides the location. Also the focal individuals, interacting or not interacting with conspecifics at the waterholes, were traced continuously to explore the duration of their visit at the waterhole area. Finally, we recorded the number of individuals in the groups entering and leaving the waterhole. Active social interactions between group members occurred more often and were more varied near the waterholes as compared to the areas away from them. The participation in social interactions influenced the duration of individual waterhole visits. Males that interacted with others shortly after arrival stayed significantly longer compared to those who did not. Females whose calves engaged in social interactions with age-mates spent more time at the waterholes than females whose calves did not. The comparison of mean group sizes showed that saigas left waterhole areas in larger groups than they entered them. Our findings, together with previous studies, suggest that resource hotspots can function as social arenas in mammals regardless of the habitat type (open or closed). The emergence of specific locations having particular social significance may be especially important for highly dispersed species with large home ranges. The results of the study emphasize the significance of large permanent waterholes and mineral licks used by many individuals year after year for the social behaviour of saiga antelopes.

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“…Animals inhabiting drylands are subject to harsh environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, intense solar radiation, sparse shade, limited precipitation and a scarcity of surface water (Fuller et al., 2021; Mendelsohn et al., 2022). The imperative to avoid hyperthermia in dryland regions has driven the evolution of diverse heat stress mitigation strategies, including morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations (Blank & Li, 2022). Over time, mammals indigenous to these areas have become superbly adapted (Fuller et al., 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

African dryland antelope trade‐off behaviours in response to heat extremes

Berry,

Dammhahn,

Hauptfleisch

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Climate change is predicted to narrow the prescriptive zone of dryland species, potentially leading to behavioural modifications with fitness consequences. This study explores the behavioural responses of three widespread African antelope species—springbok, kudu and eland—to extreme heat in a dryland savanna. We classified the behaviour of 29 individuals during the hot, dry season on the basis of accelerometer data using supervised machine learning and analysed the impact of afternoon heat on behaviour‐specific time allocation and overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), a proxy for energy expenditure, along with compensatory changes over the 24‐hour cycle. Extreme afternoon heat reduced feeding time in all three antelope species, increased ruminating and resting time, while only minimally affecting walking time. With rising heat, all three species reduced ODBA on feeding, while eland reduced and kudu increased ODBA on walking. Diel responses in behaviour differed between species, but were generally characterised by daytime reductions in feeding and increases in ruminating or resting on hot days compared to cool days. While antelope compensated for heat‐driven behavioural change over the 24‐hour cycle in some cases, significant differences persisted in others, including reduced feeding and increased rumination and resting. The impact of heat on antelope behaviour reveals trade‐offs between feeding and thermoregulation, as well as between feeding and rumination, the latter suggesting a strategy to enhance nutrient uptake through increased digestive efficiency, while the walking response suggests narrow constraints between cost and necessity. Our findings suggest that heat influences both behaviour‐specific time allocation and energy expenditure. Altered diel behaviour patterns and incomplete compensation over the 24‐hour cycle point to fitness consequences. The need to prioritise thermoregulation over feeding is likely to narrow the prescriptive zone of these dryland antelope.

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Antelope adaptations to counteract overheating and water deficit in arid environments

Cited by 5 publications

References 55 publications

Vertebrate genomics and adaptation – Status and prospects in Africa

Vertebrate genomics and adaptation – Status and prospects in Africa

Social arenas in the open habitat: the social role of waterholes for saiga antelope

African dryland antelope trade‐off behaviours in response to heat extremes

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