Effect of increased dietary salinity on the reproductive status and energy intake of xeric and mesic populations of the spiny mouse, Acomys

Wube, Tilaye; Haim, Abraham; Fares, Fuad

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.09.006

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…High dietary salt diet (3.5% and 5% NaCl for 6 to 8 weeks) reduced testis mass and spermatogenesis in male golden spiny mice (Acomys russatus) but not in spiny mouse (Acomys cahitinus; Wube et al, 2009). The difference between the two species could be explained by the adaptation to different environments; a desert environment for A. russatus and a Mediterranean environment for A. cahitinus, presumably resulting in different renal capacities in the two species.…”

Section: High-salt Intake and Reproductive Capacity Of The Male Sheepmentioning

confidence: 95%

Salt intake and reproductive function in sheep

Digby

Chadwick

Blache

2011

Animal

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Producers have the possibility to combat human-induced dryland salinity by planting salt-tolerant plants such as saltbush. Saltbush has the potential to be used as a source of food for livestock at a time and place where pasture is not viable. However, saltbush contains high concentrations of sodium chloride salt and some other anti-nutritional factors that have the potential to affect feed and water intake and, directly or indirectly, the reproductive capacity of sheep. High-salt diet during gestation induces a small modification of the activity of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that has an important role in the maintenance of the salt-water balance in non-pregnant and pregnant sheep. In contrast, the main effect of salt ingestion during pregnancy is observed on the biology of the offspring, with changes in the response of the RAS to salt ingestion and altered thirst threshold in response to an oral salt ingestion. These changes, observed later in life, are the result of fetal programming following the ingestion of salt by the mother. It seems that the exposure to salt during pregnancy could provide an advantage to the offspring because of this adaptive response. The response may be particularly useful, for example, when grazing herbivores are fed halophytic forages adapted to saline soils.

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Section: High-salt Intake and Reproductive Capacity Of The Male Sheepmentioning

confidence: 95%

Salt intake and reproductive function in sheep

Digby

Chadwick

Blache

2011

Animal

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“…Indeed increases in dietary salinity have been shown to result in reductions in spermatogenic index and uterine as well as ovarian mass, but not testes mass in A. russatus during LD (Shanas and Haim, 2004;Wube et al, 2009). In contrast, no effect of dietary salinity on testes mass, testosterone levels or ovary mass was observed during LD in A. cahirinus while testes mass was reduced during SD (Wube et al, 2009;Bukovetzky et al, 2012). These studies suggest that species of Acomys that live in arid habitats may pursue an opportunistic strategy and use cues indicating water availability (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Reproduction in small mammals may be regulated by a number of environmental variables such as photoperiod, rainfall, the availability of food and dietary salinity (Bronson and Heideman, 1994;Wube, Haim and Fares, 2009). Photoperiod is a dominant proximate cue commonly used by small mammals to inform the animal that favourable conditions for reproduction are approaching (Bronson and Heideman, 1994;Prendergast, Kriegsfeld and Nelson, 2001;Bronson, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rainfall may be used as an indicator for primary production in arid environment and affect both the quantity and quality of food (Louw and Seely, 1982;Nelson and Desjardins, 1987). Alternatively, lack of rainfall may result in increases of salinity in plant tissues and in turn the food salinity can be used as cue for the regulation of reproduction in desert rodents (Wube et al, 2009;Bukovetzky et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seasonal reproduction in the Arabian spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus (Rodentia: Muridae) from Saudi Arabia: The role of rainfall and temperature

Sarli

Lutermann

Alagaili

et al. 2016

Journal of Arid Environments

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In deserts where unpredictable rainfall arises and a large variation in temperature occurs, this poses severe energetic and water related constraints on reproduction in small mammals and makes the use of photoperiod as cue for reproduction unreliable. In the present study, the gonad morphometrics, gonadal histology and endocrine profiles of the Arabian spiny mouse (Acomys dimidiatus) were studied over 12 consecutive months in a field population from western Saudi Arabia in an attempt to assess the seasonality of reproduction and gain insights into the environmental cues that may trigger reproduction in this species. Although sperm 1 was present throughout the year, most reproductive parameters exhibited a seasonal pattern with a minimum in winter in both sexes and pregnancies were observed from spring to autumn. Whereas testes volume, the number of corpora lutea and progesterone levels were correlated with temperature, all other reproductive parameters were correlated with rainfall.Thus, it appears that A. dimidiatus ceases to breed during winter and uses rainfall as an environmental cue to initiate reproduction in the study area. However, the species appears to have the ability to reproduce throughout the year, if favourable conditions arise.

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“…Within the genus, studies have mainly focused on the Middle Eastern and North African species such as the common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus), golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus) and the eastern spiny mouse (Acomys dimidiatus) (e.g. Cohen et al, 2010;Frynta et al, 2011;Wube et al, 2009), but little is known about the biology of spiny mice species from south of the equator. A number of recent studies have concentrated on the reproductive physiology of A. spinosissimus.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The pattern of ovulation in the southern African spiny mouse (Acomys spinosissimus)

et al. 2014

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Running title: Ovulation in Acomys spinosissimusAbstract: The pattern of ovulation in mammals is generally considered to be either spontaneous or induced by coitus. The present study aimed to assess the pattern of ovulation in the southern African spiny mice (Acomys spinosissimus). Females were divided into three treatments differing in the degree of contact with a male. Control females had no contact with males, separated females had only chemical, auditory and visual contact with a male as the sexes were separated with wire mesh and paired females had full contact with a vasectomized male and copulations were possible. Each treatment consisted of seven females and the ovarian mass, the number of primary, secondary/tertiary and Graafian follicles as well as presence of corpora lutea were compared between the three treatments. Faecal progestagen metabolite (FPM) concentrations were analysed for every second day throughout the experiment and they were used to determine luteal phases and oestrous cycles. Corpora lutea were found in both the control and the paired treatment indicating that ovulation also occurred in the absence of coitus. There was also no effect of treatment on ovarian mass or follicle numbers. In contrast, only females in the separated and paired treatments exhibited luteal phases and oestrous cycles. Especially at the beginning of the experiment, FPM concentrations were higher in those two groups than the control. The results indicate that A. spinosissimus appears to ovulate spontaneously, although physical as well as olfactory male cues appear to be of great importance to enhance reproductive efforts of females.

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Effect of increased dietary salinity on the reproductive status and energy intake of xeric and mesic populations of the spiny mouse, Acomys

Cited by 18 publications

References 37 publications

Salt intake and reproductive function in sheep

Salt intake and reproductive function in sheep

Seasonal reproduction in the Arabian spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus (Rodentia: Muridae) from Saudi Arabia: The role of rainfall and temperature

The pattern of ovulation in the southern African spiny mouse (Acomys spinosissimus)

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