Behavioral plasticity in two endemic rodents from the Andes Mountains: strategies for thermal and energetic balance

Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián; Taraborelli, Paula Andrea; Menéndez, Josefina; Sassi, Paola Lorena

doi:10.1007/s42991-022-00263-1

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Accordingly, A. andina presented diurnal activity at 3100 m and cathemeral activity at 2300 m altitude. Such observations contrast with previous reports of nocturnality in both natural (Contreras & Rosi, 1981) and experimental conditions (Ruperto et al, 2022). Different factors can condition and/or mask the activity rhythms of animals (Refinetti, 2008) and, consequently, different studies often arrive at contrasting results (e.g., Calisi & Bentley, 2009; Gattermann et al, 2008; Hut et al, 2012; Kronfeld‐Schor & Dayan, 2008).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Is behavioral variability beneficial in the face of physiological constraints? Laboratory studies have shown that both species adjust the frequency and pattern of activity to variations in temperature and/or food availability (Ruperto et al, 2020, 2022; Sassi et al, 2015). However, the extent to which these responses translate to natural settings is unknown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavioral responses of two small‐sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high‐altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains

et al. 2022

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In mountain environments, both temperature and food availability vary strongly with altitude, leading to a major challenge to the thermo‐energetic balance of organisms. In this sense, the behavioral repertoire is crucial for animals' adequacy because it implies a short‐term response in the face of environmental changes. In this paper, we explored the behavioral versatility of Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina (Rodentia: Cricetidae), two of the mammal species with the highest altitudinal distribution worldwide. By radiotelemetry, we analyzed the activity pattern, home range, and microhabitat selection in populations of both species inhabiting at 2300 and 3100 m altitude in the Central Andes of Argentina. We found that A. andina was diurnal at 3100 m and cathemeral at 2300 m a.s.l., while P. vaccarum was nocturnal at both elevations. Moreover, home range size was larger in A. andina males at 3100 m in contrast to females at identical altitude and males at 2300 m; while, in P. vaccarum, there were no differences according to altitude or sex. Furthermore, we recorded a complex and species‐specific microhabitat selection pattern at different altitudes. Finally, the magnitude of behavioral variability was higher in A. andina than in P. vaccarum for all the traits analyzed. These results are discussed with emphasis on the impact of behavioral traits and their plasticity for species adequacy in high‐altitude environments.

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