Developmental environment influences activity levels in a montane rodent, Phyllotis xanthopygus

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

doi:10.1016/j.zool.2020.125818

Cited by 4 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Also, we would like to highlight the importance of considering diverse traits and sources of variation in trying to infer the causes and consequences of plasticity. For instance, here we found a possible compensation between metabolic rate and thermal conductance, and recent work suggests compensation between physiological and behavioral plasticity in these populations (Ruperto et al, 2020; Sassi et al, 2017). Climate is changing at an unprecedented rate and highlands are considered especially vulnerable to temperature increases (Bernardo & Spotila, 2006; Labraga & Villalba, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…Concerning temperature, there is a marked decrease both in mean temperature and in thermal amplitude towards higher elevations. Ambient temperature data characterizing the selected sites was reported by previous studies (Ruperto et al, 2020; Sassi et al, 2015, 2018) and is presented in Table 1.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, studies in this species along an altitudinal gradient in the Central Andes of Argentina show that, even though gene flow is high along the study area (Martinez, 2019; Ojeda et al, 2013), there are intraspecific differences in traits relevant to energy balance that persist after acclimation to common experimental temperatures in the laboratory. Particularly, animals stemming from higher altitudes (lower mean temperature and thermal amplitude; Ruperto et al, 2020) show lower energy intake at cold temperatures and reduced activity rates at warm temperatures compared to animals from lower elevations (Sassi & Novillo, 2015 and Sassi et al, 2015, respectively). Since animals from distinct altitudes appear to be differently challenged by the thermal environment the aims of this study are two‐fold.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phenotypic plasticity in the energy metabolism of a small Andean rodent: Effect of short‐term thermal acclimation and developmental conditions

et al. 2021

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The study of phenotypic variation within species in response to different environments is a central issue in evolutionary and ecological physiology. Particularly, ambient temperature is one of the most important factors modulating interactions between animals and their environment. Phyllotis xanthopygus, a small Andean rodent, exhibits intraspecific differences along an altitudinal gradient in traits relevant to energy balance that persist after acclimation to common experimental temperatures. Therefore, we aim to explore geographic variations in energetic traits of P. xanthopygus and to assess the contribution of phenotypic plasticity to population differences. We compared metabolic rate and thermal conductance in response to different acclimation temperatures in animals collected at distinct altitudes (F0 generation) and in their offspring, born and raised under common-garden conditions (F1 generation). We found intraspecific differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR) of animals collected at different altitudes that were no longer evident in the F1 generation. Furthermore, although both generations showed the same pattern of RMR flexibility in response to acclimation temperature, its magnitude was lower for the F1 individuals. This suggests that developmental conditions affect the short-term acclimation capacity of this trait during adulthood. On the other hand, thermal conductance (C) showed irreversible plasticity, as animals raised in the laboratory at stable warm conditions had a relatively higher C than the animals from the field, showing no adjustments to thermal acclimation during adulthood in either group. In sum, our results support the hypothesis that the developmental environment shapes energetic traits, emphasizing the relevance of incorporating ontogeny in physiological studies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phenotypic plasticity in the energy metabolism of a small Andean rodent: Effect of short‐term thermal acclimation and developmental conditions

et al. 2021

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the arid mountains of Argentina, ambient temperature and availability and nutritional quality of food decrease with increasing altitude, intensifying the energetic challenges of living in the highlands (Ruperto et al, 2020; Sassi et al, 2017; Sassi & Novillo, 2015). As a consequence, animals at higher elevations could need to exploit broader territory to meet their energy requirements than animals at lower elevations (e.g., Mysterud, 1999; Ruby & Dunham, 1987).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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Spatio-temporal variability in the feeding strategy of Andean rodents: the role of ambient temperature and food availability

et al. 2023

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Developmental environment influences activity levels in a montane rodent, Phyllotis xanthopygus

Cited by 4 publications

References 61 publications

Phenotypic plasticity in the energy metabolism of a small Andean rodent: Effect of short‐term thermal acclimation and developmental conditions

Phenotypic plasticity in the energy metabolism of a small Andean rodent: Effect of short‐term thermal acclimation and developmental conditions

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

Spatio-temporal variability in the feeding strategy of Andean rodents: the role of ambient temperature and food availability

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