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Gasch K, Hykollari A, Habe M, Haubensak P, Painer-Gigler J, Smith S, Stalder G, Arnold W. Summer fades, deer change: Photoperiodic control of cellular seasonal acclimatization of skeletal muscle. iScience 2024; 27:108619. [PMID: 38155774 PMCID: PMC10753075 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We found major seasonal changes of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in muscular phospholipids (PL) in a large non-hibernating mammal, the red deer (Cervus elaphus). Dietary supply of essential linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) had no, or only weak influence, respectively. We further found correlations of PL PUFA concentrations with the activity of key metabolic enzymes, independent of higher winter expression. Activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca++-ATPase increased with SR PL concentrations of n-6 PUFA, and of cytochrome c oxidase and citrate synthase, indicators of ATP-production, with concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid in mitochondrial PL. All detected cyclic molecular changes were controlled by photoperiod and are likely of general relevance for mammals living in seasonal environments, including humans. During winter, these changes at the molecular level presumably compensate for Arrhenius effects in the colder peripheral body parts and thus enable a thrifty life at lower body temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Gasch
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alba Hykollari
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Manuela Habe
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Patricia Haubensak
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Painer-Gigler
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Steve Smith
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabrielle Stalder
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Arnold
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
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2
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Anderwald P, Buchmann S, Rempfler T, Filli F. Weather-dependent changes in habitat use by Alpine chamois. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:3. [PMID: 38229138 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00449-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in weather patterns due to climate change are accelerated in alpine environments, but mountains also provide a wide range of niches and potential refuge areas. In order to identify future critical habitat for mountain ungulates for effective protection, it is important to understand their spatial responses to changing weather conditions without movement constraints by human disturbance. METHODS Using integrated step selection functions, we investigated fine-scale changes in seasonal habitat use in response to weather and time of day for 55 GPS-collared adult Alpine chamois in summer and 42 individuals in winter in a strictly protected area. RESULTS Chamois reacted to increasing precipitation and wind speeds primarily by moving to lower elevations in summer and winter. However, reactions to high summer temperatures predominantly involved preferences for increasing tree cover density and northerly slopes. Snow depth had little effect on habitat choice, and southerly slopes were preferred in winter regardless of temperature. At night, chamois moved to steeper slopes and lower elevations than during daytime in both seasons, and to more open areas in summer. Steeper slopes were also preferred with increasing tree cover density. CONCLUSIONS Chamois employ adaptive fine-scale adjustments in their habitat choice consistent with respect to efficient thermoregulation and protection from both weather extremes and predation risk in summer and winter. Movement responses to climate change are therefore expected to be far more complex than simple altitudinal changes in distribution. Particularly the role of forest cover must not be underestimated, as it appears to provide important thermal refuge habitat from high summer temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Anderwald
- Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, Runatsch 124, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland.
| | - Sven Buchmann
- Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, Runatsch 124, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Rempfler
- Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, Runatsch 124, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
| | - Flurin Filli
- Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, Runatsch 124, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
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3
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Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Król E, Albon S, Ropstad E, Kumpula J, Evans AL, Speakman JR, Loe LE. A Summer Heat Wave Reduced Activity, Heart Rate, and Autumn Body Mass in a Cold-Adapted Ungulate. Physiol Biochem Zool 2023; 96:282-293. [PMID: 37418606 DOI: 10.1086/725363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
AbstractHeat waves are becoming more frequent across the globe and may impose severe thermoregulatory challenges for endotherms. Heat stress can induce both behavioral and physiological responses, which may result in energy deficits with potential fitness consequences. We studied the responses of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), a cold-adapted ungulate, to a record-breaking heat wave in northern Finland. Activity, heart rate, subcutaneous body temperature, and body mass data were collected for 14 adult females. The post-heat wave autumn body masses were then analyzed against longitudinal body mass records for the herd from 1990 to 2021. With increasing air temperature during the day, reindeer became less active and had reduced heart rate and increased body temperature, reflecting both behavioral and physiological responses to heat stress. Although they increased activity in the late afternoon, they failed to compensate for lost foraging time on the hottest days (daily mean temperature ≥20°C), and total time active was reduced by 9%. After the heat wave, the mean September body mass of herd females (69.7±6.6 kg, n=52) was on average 16.4% ± 4.8% lower than predicted (83.4±6.0 kg). Among focal females, individuals with the lowest levels of activity during the heat wave had the greatest mass loss during summer. We show how heat waves impose a thermoregulatory challenge on endotherms, resulting in mass loss, potentially as a result of the loss of foraging time. While it is well known that environmental conditions affect large herbivore fitness indirectly through decreased forage quality and limited water supply, direct effects of heat may be increasingly common in a warming climate.
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Gasch K, Habe M, Krauss JS, Painer-Gigler J, Stalder G, Arnold W. The Influence of Photoperiod, Intake of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, and Food Availability on Seasonal Acclimatization in Red Deer ( Cervus elaphus). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13101600. [PMID: 37238030 DOI: 10.3390/ani13101600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypometabolism and hypothermia are common reactions of birds and mammals to cope with harsh winter conditions. In small mammals, the occurrence of hibernation and daily torpor is entrained by photoperiod, and the magnitude of hypometabolism and decrease of body temperature (Tb) is influenced by the dietary supply of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. We investigated whether similar effects exist in a non-hibernating large mammal, the red deer (Cervus elaphus). We fed adult females with pellets enriched with either linoleic acid (LA) or α-linolenic acid (ALA) during alternating periods of ad libitum and restricted feeding in a cross-over experimental design. Further, we scrutinized the role of photoperiod for physiological and behavioral seasonal changes by manipulating the amount of circulating melatonin. The deer were equipped with data loggers recording heart rate, core and peripheral Tb, and locomotor activity. Further, we regularly weighed the animals and measured their daily intake of food pellets. All physiological and behavioral parameters measured varied seasonally, with amplitudes exacerbated by restricted feeding, but with only few and inconsistent effects of supplementation with LA or ALA. Administering melatonin around the summer solstice caused a change into the winter phenotype weeks ahead of time in all traits measured. We conclude that red deer reduce energy expenditure for thermoregulation upon short daylength, a reaction amplified by food restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Gasch
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Manuela Habe
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Julie Sophie Krauss
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Painer-Gigler
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabrielle Stalder
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Arnold
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
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5
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Zabel F, Findlay MA, White PJC. Assessment of the accuracy of counting large ungulate species (red deer
Cervus elaphus
) with UAV‐mounted thermal infrared cameras during night flights. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/wlb3.01071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Zabel
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier Univ. Edinburgh UK
- Landesjagdverband Schleswig‐Holstein e.V. Flintbek Germany
| | | | - Patrick J. C. White
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier Univ. Edinburgh UK
- Centre for Conservation & Restoration Science, Edinburgh Napier Univ. Edinburgh UK
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6
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Tenger-Trolander A, Julick CR, Lu W, Green DA, Montooth KL, Kronforst MR. Seasonal plasticity in morphology and metabolism differs between migratory North American and resident Costa Rican monarch butterflies. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9796. [PMID: 36844673 PMCID: PMC9943933 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental heterogeneity in temperate latitudes is expected to maintain seasonally plastic life-history strategies that include the tuning of morphologies and metabolism that support overwintering. For species that have expanded their ranges into tropical latitudes, it is unclear the extent to which the capacity for plasticity will be maintained or will erode with disuse. The migratory generations of the North American (NA) monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus lead distinctly different lives from their summer generation NA parents and their tropical descendants living in Costa Rica (CR). NA migratory monarchs postpone reproduction, travel thousands of kilometers south to overwinter in Mexico, and subsist on little food for months. Whether recently dispersed populations of monarchs such as those in Costa Rica, which are no longer subject to selection imposed by migration, retain ancestral seasonal plasticity is unclear. To investigate the differences in seasonal plasticity, we reared the NA and CR monarchs in summer and autumn in Illinois, USA, and measured the seasonal reaction norms for aspects of morphology and metabolism related to flight. NA monarchs were seasonally plastic in forewing and thorax size, increasing wing area and thorax to body mass ratio in autumn. While CR monarchs increased thorax mass in autumn, they did not increase the area of the forewing. NA monarchs maintained similar resting and maximal flight metabolic rates across seasons. However, CR monarchs had elevated metabolic rates in autumn. Our findings suggest that the recent expansion of monarchs into habitats that support year-round breeding may be accompanied by (1) the loss of some aspects of morphological plasticity as well as (2) the underlying physiological mechanisms that maintain metabolic homeostasis in the face of temperature heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayşe Tenger-Trolander
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA.,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Cole R Julick
- School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Delbert André Green
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Kristi L Montooth
- School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Marcus R Kronforst
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
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7
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Blank DA. Activity behavior of goitered gazelles in an arid environment. Behav Processes 2023; 204:104804. [PMID: 36565941 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The daily activity pattern in ruminants consists mainly of alternating foraging with bouts of resting, while other behaviors usually play a minor role in the daily activity budgets of ungulates most of the year. Interactions of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors force animals to adopt compromises to form optimal time proportions for foraging and resting to satisfy their daily energy demands. This paper considers the impact of ambient temperature, pasture conditions, body-size, and the effects of lactation and animal growth on the daily activities of goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa). My study found: 1) temperature was the most significant factor leading to the greatest daily hour-to-hour variations in activity, as well as significant monthly changes in activity fluctuations; 2) seasonal improvement of forage conditions did not have a distinctive effect on daily activity; 3) the effect of body size, lactation and fawn growth also did not noticeably change activity fluctuations; but 4) factors related to hiding behavior had a significant impact on goitered gazelle activity. Though goitered gazelles are a sexually dimorphic species, they did not demonstrate any significant deviation between males and females in their daily activities in contrast to typical dimorphic ruminants. The goitered gazelles' hiding behavior may provide a possible explanation for this distinction, as other previously observed dimorphic ungulates were mainly species where fawns followed their mothers from birth. Among other influences, ambient temperature and features of their hiding behavior were the most significant factors influencing diurnal activity of goitered gazelles, while age and sex had a weaker impact on daily behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Blank
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
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8
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Leimgruber P, Songsasen N, Stabach JA, Horning M, Reed D, Buk T, Harwood A, Layman L, Mathews C, Vance M, Marinari P, Helmick KE, Delaski KM, Ware LH, Jones JC, Silva JLP, Laske TG, Moraes RN. Providing baseline data for conservation-Heart rate monitoring in captive scimitar-horned oryx. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1079008. [PMID: 36909234 PMCID: PMC9998487 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1079008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Heart rate biologging has been successfully used to study wildlife responses to natural and human-caused stressors (e.g., hunting, landscape of fear). Although rarely deployed to inform conservation, heart rate biologging may be particularly valuable for assessing success in wildlife reintroductions. We conducted a case study for testing and validating the use of subcutaneous heart rate monitors in eight captive scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), a once-extinct species that is currently being restored to the wild. We evaluated biologger safety and accuracy while collecting long-term baseline data and assessing factors explaining variation in heart rate. None of the biologgers were rejected after implantation, with successful data capture for 16-21 months. Heart rate detection accuracy was high (83%-99%) for six of the individuals with left lateral placement of the biologgers. We excluded data from two individuals with a right lateral placement because accuracies were below 60%. Average heart rate for the six scimitar-horned oryx was 60.3 ± 12.7 bpm, and varied by about 12 bpm between individuals, with a minimum of 31 bpm and a maximum of 188 bpm across individuals. Scimitar-horned oryx displayed distinct circadian rhythms in heart rate and activity. Heart rate and activity were low early in the morning and peaked near dusk. Circadian rhythm in heart rate and activity were relatively unchanged across season, but hourly averages for heart rate and activity were higher in spring and summer, respectively. Variation in hourly heart rate averages was best explained by a combination of activity, hour, astronomical season, ambient temperature, and an interaction term for hour and season. Increases in activity appeared to result in the largest changes in heart rate. We concluded that biologgers are safe and accurate and can be deployed in free-ranging and reintroduced scimitar-horned oryx. In addition to current monitoring practices of reintroduced scimitar-horned oryx, the resulting biologging data could significantly aid in 1) evaluating care and management action prior to release, 2) characterizing different animal personalities and how these might affect reintroduction outcomes for individual animals, and 3) identifying stressors after release to determine their timing, duration, and impact on released animals. Heart rate monitoring in released scimitar-horned oryx may also aid in advancing our knowledge about how desert ungulates adapt to extreme environmental variation in their habitats (e.g., heat, drought).
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Leimgruber
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Nucharin Songsasen
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Jared A Stabach
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Megan Horning
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States.,Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Dolores Reed
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Tara Buk
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Arielle Harwood
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Lawrence Layman
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Christopher Mathews
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Morgan Vance
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Paul Marinari
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Kelly E Helmick
- Department of Conservation Medicine, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Kristina M Delaski
- Department of Conservation Medicine, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Lisa H Ware
- Department of Conservation Medicine, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Julia C Jones
- Department of Conservation Medicine, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Jose L P Silva
- Department of Statistics, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Timothy G Laske
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.,Cardiac Ablation Solutions, Medtronic Inc., Mounds View, MN, United States
| | - Rosana Nogueira Moraes
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States.,Department of Physiology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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9
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Bernátková A, Oyunsaikhan G, Šimek J, Komárková M, Bobek M, Ceacero F. Influence of weather on the behaviour of reintroduced Przewalski’s horses in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia): implications for conservation. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:32. [PMID: 37170378 PMCID: PMC10127430 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00130-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Reintroduction is a common technique for re-establishing threatened species. However, the adaptation to novel habitats with distinct conditions poses a risk of failure. Weather conditions affect the behaviour of animals, and thus, their adaptation to new conditions and survival. Reintroduced Przewalski’s horses living in Mongolia’s continental arid climate with extreme temperature and precipitation variability, serve as an ideal model species for studying the behavioural response of selected groups to these harsh conditions.
Methods
The research was conducted in The Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area, Mongolia. In summer 2018, three groups were recorded (Azaa, Tsetsen and Mares18) involving 29 individuals. In Spring 2019, 4 groups were recorded (Azaa, Tsetsen, Hustai1 and Mares19) involving 34 individuals. In Autumn 2019, 4 groups were recorded (Azaa, Tsetsen, Hustai2 and Tanan) involving 35 individuals. Thirteen weather variables were recorded in 10-min intervals, together with the percentage representation of selected behavioural categories (feeding, locomotion, resting, and social). The effect of weather on behaviour was analysed through GLMM. Influence of the group-history factors (recently reintroduced, long-term reintroduced and wild-born) was also analysed.
Results
Feeding significantly increased with cloudy and windy conditions and was more frequent in autumn than spring and summer. Locomotion was positively explained by temperature and cloudiness and was higher in summer than spring and autumn. Resting behaviour decreased with altitude and cloudiness, and the dispersion of the group was lower when resting. Increased social interactions were observed with higher temperatures and were more frequent in summer compared to spring and autumn. Differences were found in the display of the behaviours among the selected harems, showing interesting patterns when grouping them according to their origin and experience.
Conclusions
Weather patterns seem to influence the behaviour of Przewalski’s horse. These results might assist in further management plans for the species, especially in the view of intensifying climate change and alteration of weather patterns. As previously suggested, after approximately 1 year, horses adapt to novel conditions and display the typical behavioural pattern of wild-born Przewalski’s horses.
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10
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Rauch H, Pohlin F, Einwaller J, Habe M, Gasch K, Haw A, Arnold W, Stalder G, Painer J. Effect of season and diet on heart rate and blood pressure in female red deer (Cervus elaphus) anaesthetised with medetomidine-tiletamine-zolazepam. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268811. [PMID: 35671269 PMCID: PMC9173613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperate zone ungulates like red deer (Cervus elaphus) show pronounced seasonal acclimatisation. Hypometabolism during winter is associated with cardiovascular changes, including a reduction in heart rate (fH) and temporal peripheral vasoconstriction. How anaesthesia with vasoactive substances such as medetomidine affect the seasonally acclimatised cardiovascular system is not yet known. We anaesthetised eleven healthy female red deer with medetomidine (0.1 mg/kg) and tiletamine/zolazepam (3 mg/kg) twice in winter (ad libitum and restricted feed) and in summer (ad libitum and restricted feed), with a two-week washout-period in-between, to test for the effect of season, food availability and supplementation with omega-3 or omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) on fH and arterial blood pressure (ABP) during anaesthesia. Six animals received pellets enriched with omega-6 fatty acids (FA), and five animals with omega-3 FA. Anaesthesia significantly decreased fH in summer but not in winter and ABP was lower in winter (p < 0.05). The combination of omega-6 FA enriched pellets and food restriction resulted in a lower fH and higher ABP during anaesthesia with more pronounced changes in winter (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that season, food availability and type of PUFA supplementation in red deer affect the cardiovascular system during anaesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Rauch
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Pohlin
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Joy Einwaller
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manuela Habe
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristina Gasch
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Haw
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabrielle Stalder
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
| | - Johanna Painer
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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11
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Steiner-Bogdaszewska Ż, Tajchman K, Domaradzki P, Florek M. Composition of Fatty Acids in Bone Marrow of Red Deer from Various Ecosystems and Different Categories. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27082511. [PMID: 35458708 PMCID: PMC9027502 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27082511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, the influence of the living conditions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) fawns (wild vs. farmed) and effect of the category of free-living animals (fawns vs. does) on the fatty acid (FA) profile of the leg bone marrow was assessed. The composition of FAs in the deer bone marrow was determined by the gas chromatography method. In all groups, oleic acid (18:1 c9) was the most abundant in deer bone marrow and comprised of approximately 37% of total FAs. The bone marrow of young wild deer was characterized by a significantly (p < 0.001) higher fat content and saturated FAs proportion, while farmed fawns contained more moisture (p < 0.005) and fat-free dry matter (p < 0.001), as well as more monounsaturated FAs cis branched-chain FAs and monounsaturated FAs trans (p < 0.001). Although no significant (p > 0.05) differences were found between fawns, in terms of partial sums of PUFA, a significantly (p < 0.001) higher level of the sum of n-3 and n-6 FAs and more favorable n-6/n-3 ratio in the bone marrow of wild fawns were determined. In general, the legs of wild fawns were better prepared for wintering than farmed ones. In turn, comparing the category-related FAs composition in the bone marrow of free-living animals, a more favorable profile was observed in the adult (does) than in the young (fawns) animals, as the bone marrow of the wild does was characterized by significantly (p < 0.001) lower percentages of saturated FAs and a higher percentage of monounsaturated FAs cis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Żaneta Steiner-Bogdaszewska
- Institute of Parasitology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Research Station in Kosewo Górne, 11-700 Mrągowo, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Tajchman
- Department of Animal Ethology and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence: (K.T); (P.D.)
| | - Piotr Domaradzki
- Department of Quality Assessment and Processing of Animal Products, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
- Correspondence: (K.T); (P.D.)
| | - Mariusz Florek
- Department of Quality Assessment and Processing of Animal Products, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
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12
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Comparison of the Cardiovascular Effects of Two Medetomidine Doses Combined with Tiletamine-Zolazepam for the Immobilization of Red Deer Hinds (Cervus elaphus). J Wildl Dis 2021; 58:188-193. [PMID: 34724568 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Wild animal immobilization often requires high doses of α2-adrenoceptor agonists. Despite their desired sedative and analgetic effects, well-recognized cardiovascular side effects, such as hypertension and bradycardia, remain a major concern. We compared two medetomidine doses on intra-arterial blood pressure and heart rate in 13 captive, female red deer (Cervus elaphus) immobilized during winter. Each animal was randomly assigned to receive either 80 μg/kg (group L) or 100 μg/kg (group H) medetomidine, combined with 3 mg/kg tiletamine-zolazepam administered intramuscularly. Changes in cardiovascular variables over time and differences between the groups were analyzed using linear mixed-effect models. Induction time was faster in group L compared with group H; recovery time did not differ between groups. Initially, the arterial blood pressure was higher in group H compared with group L, but differences between groups diminished during anesthesia. Moreover, the decline in arterial blood pressure in group H was more rapid. Heart rate was significantly lower in group L, but bradycardia was not observed. The higher medetomidine dose did not reduce induction time, and initial hypertension was reduced by administering the lower dose. Therefore, although the sample size was small and, thus, the significance of results might be limited, we suggest using 80 μg/kg instead of 100 μg/kg medetomidine when combined with 3 mg/kg tiletamine-zolazepam for the immobilization of female red deer.
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13
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Anderwald P, Campell Andri S, Palme R. Reflections of ecological differences? Stress responses of sympatric Alpine chamois and red deer to weather, forage quality, and human disturbance. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:15740-15753. [PMID: 34824786 PMCID: PMC8601901 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Depending on the habitats they live in, temperate ungulates have adapted to different degrees to seasonally changing forage and weather conditions, and to specific escape strategies from predators. Alpine chamois, a mountain ungulate, and red deer, originally adapted to open plains, would therefore be expected to differ in their physiological responses to potential stressors. Based on 742 chamois and 1557 red deer fecal samples collected year-round every 2 weeks for 4 years at the same locations within a strictly protected area in the Swiss Alps, we analyzed glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations for both species. Results from linear mixed effects models revealed no physiological stress response to changing visitor numbers, but instead to drought conditions for both species during summer. In winter, FGM concentrations increased with increasing snow height in both species, but this response was modulated by temperature in red deer. Chamois showed a stronger stress response to increasing snow height during November and December than between January and March, while FGM concentrations increased with decreasing temperature throughout winter. An increase in FGM concentrations with decreasing forage digestibility during winter was found only for red deer. The results are thus partly in contradiction to expectations based on feeding type and adaptations to different habitats between the two species. The lack of a response to forage digestibility in chamois may reflect either better adaptation to difficult feeding conditions in subalpine forests, or, by contrast, strong constraints imposed by forage quality. The similar responses of both species to weather conditions in winter suggest that climatic factors at the elevations examined here are sufficiently harsh to be limiting to temperate ungulates regardless of their specific adaptations to this environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Anderwald
- Swiss National ParkChastè Planta‐WildenbergZernezSwitzerland
| | | | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences/BiochemistryUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
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14
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Cook JG, Kelly AP, Cook RC, Culling B, Culling D, McLaren A, Larter NC, Watters M. Seasonal patterns in nutritional condition of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the southern Northwest Territories and northeastern British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Evaluating nutritional condition provides insights of nutritional influences on wildlife populations. We sampled three measures of condition — body fat, body mass, and loin thickness — of adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in boreal settings in the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada, in December and March, 2016–2018, and in mountain and boreal settings in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in December and February, 2014–2015. We evaluated the effect of calf-rearing on condition in December, compared influences of summer–autumn versus winter on condition over winter, and developed an annual profile of nutritional condition with estimates from caribou dying in summer. Mean December body fat was 8.4% in females with calves and 11.4% in females without calves, demonstrating the influence of lactation on condition. Over winter, nutritional condition did not decline in northeastern BC and it declined slightly in NT: body fat by 0.55 percentage points, mass by 2.8 kg, and loin thickness did not change. Body fat peaked in December, changed little over winter, but declined to a minimum by early summer, temporally coinciding with elevated rates of adult female mortality. Consistent with those of other ungulate studies worldwide, our findings suggest a need to focus on nutritional limitations operating in late spring through early autumn.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G. Cook
- Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 1401 Gekeler Lane, USA
| | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Box 900, Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0, Canada
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 1401 Gekeler Lane, USA
| | - Brad Culling
- Diversified Environmental, Box 6263, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4X7, Canada
| | - Diane Culling
- Diversified Environmental, Box 6263, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4X7, Canada
| | - Ashley McLaren
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Nicholas C. Larter
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Fort Simpson, NT X0E 0N0, Canada
| | - Megan Watters
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Fort St. John, BC V1J 6M7, Canada
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15
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Choukér A, Ngo-Anh TJ, Biesbroek R, Heldmaier G, Heppener M, Bereiter-Hahn J. European space agency's hibernation (torpor) strategy for deep space missions: Linking biology to engineering. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:618-626. [PMID: 34606822 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Long-duration space missions to Mars will impose extreme stresses of physical and psychological nature on the crew, as well as significant logistical and technical challenges for life support and transportation. Main challenges include optimising overall mass and maintaining crew physical and mental health. These key scopes have been taken up as the baseline for a study by the European Space Agency (ESA) using its Concurrent Design Facility (CDF). It focussed on the biology of hibernation in reducing metabolism and hence stress, and its links to the infrastructure and life support. We concluded that torpor of crew members can reduce the payload with respect to oxygen, food and water but will require monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) assisted monitoring of the crew. These studies additionally offer new potential applications for patient care on Earth. Keywords: Space flight, concurrent design facility, metabolic reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Choukér
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Thu Jennifer Ngo-Anh
- Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes, European Space Agency, P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG, Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Robin Biesbroek
- Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, European Space Agency, P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG, Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Gerhard Heldmaier
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, Marburg University, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Marc Heppener
- (c)/o Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes, European Space Agency, P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG, Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Jürgen Bereiter-Hahn
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Lauestr. 19, D 6438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.
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16
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Atypical for northern ungulates, energy metabolism is lowest during summer in female wild boars (Sus scrofa). Sci Rep 2021; 11:18310. [PMID: 34526603 PMCID: PMC8443605 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97825-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Typically, large ungulates show a single seasonal peak of heart rate, a proxy of energy expenditure, in early summer. Different to other large ungulates, wild boar females had peak heart rates early in the year (at ~ April, 1), which likely indicates high costs of reproduction. This peak was followed by a trough over summer and a secondary summit in autumn/early winter, which coincided with the mast seeding of oak trees and the mating season. Wild boars counteracted the effects of cold temperatures by decreasing subcutaneous body temperature by peripheral vasoconstriction. They also passively gained solar radiation energy by basking in the sun. However, the shape of the seasonal rhythm in HR indicates that it was apparently not primarily caused by thermoregulatory costs but by the costs of reproduction. Wild boar farrow early in the year, visible in high HRs and sudden changes in intraperitoneal body temperature of females. Arguably, a prerequisite for this early reproduction as well as for high energy metabolism over winter is the broad variety of food consumed by this species, i.e., the omnivorous lifestyle. Extremely warm and dry summers, as experienced during the study years (2017, 2018), may increasingly become a bottleneck for food intake of wild boar.
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17
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Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Albon S, Arnold W, Evans AL, Irvine RJ, Król E, Ropstad E, Stien A, Veiberg V, Speakman JR, Loe LE. Determinants of heart rate in Svalbard reindeer reveal mechanisms of seasonal energy management. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200215. [PMID: 34176322 PMCID: PMC8237166 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal energetic challenges may constrain an animal's ability to respond to changing individual and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated variation in heart rate, a well-established proxy for metabolic rate, in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), a species with strong seasonal changes in foraging and metabolic activity. In 19 adult females, we recorded heart rate, subcutaneous temperature and activity using biologgers. Mean heart rate more than doubled from winter to summer. Typical drivers of energy expenditure, such as reproduction and activity, explained a relatively limited amount of variation (2-6% in winter and 16-24% in summer) compared to seasonality, which explained 75% of annual variation in heart rate. The relationship between heart rate and subcutaneous temperature depended on individual state via body mass, age and reproductive status, and the results suggested that peripheral heterothermy is an important pathway of energy management in both winter and summer. While the seasonal plasticity in energetics makes Svalbard reindeer well-adapted to their highly seasonal environment, intraseasonal constraints on modulation of their heart rate may limit their ability to respond to severe environmental change. This study emphasizes the importance of encompassing individual state and seasonal context when studying energetics in free-living animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Monica Trondrud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Gabriel Pigeon
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1 K 2R1
| | - Steve Albon
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstr. 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alina L. Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418 Elverum, Norway
| | - R. Justin Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
- Frankfurt Zoological Society, PO Box 100003, South Africa Street, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Elżbieta Król
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 8146, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Norway, PO Box 6050 Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - John R. Speakman
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center of Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming 650223, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
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18
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Linek N, Volkmer T, Shipley JR, Twining CW, Zúñiga D, Wikelski M, Partecke J. A songbird adjusts its heart rate and body temperature in response to season and fluctuating daily conditions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200213. [PMID: 34121457 PMCID: PMC8200648 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In a seasonal world, organisms are continuously adjusting physiological processes relative to local environmental conditions. Owing to their limited heat and fat storage capacities, small animals, such as songbirds, must rapidly modulate their metabolism in response to weather extremes and changing seasons to ensure survival. As a consequence of previous technical limitations, most of our existing knowledge about how animals respond to changing environmental conditions comes from laboratory studies or field studies over short temporal scales. Here, we expanded beyond previous studies by outfitting 71 free-ranging Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) with novel heart rate and body temperature loggers coupled with radio transmitters, and followed individuals in the wild from autumn to spring. Across seasons, blackbirds thermoconformed at night, i.e. their body temperature decreased with decreasing ambient temperature, but not so during daytime. By contrast, during all seasons blackbirds increased their heart rate when ambient temperatures became colder. However, the temperature setpoint at which heart rate was increased differed between seasons and between day and night. In our study, blackbirds showed an overall seasonal reduction in mean heart rate of 108 beats min-1 (21%) as well as a 1.2°C decrease in nighttime body temperature. Episodes of hypometabolism during cold periods likely allow the birds to save energy and, thus, help offset the increased energetic costs during the winter when also confronted with lower resource availability. Our data highlight that, similar to larger non-hibernating mammals and birds, small passerine birds such as Eurasian blackbirds not only adjust their heart rate and body temperature on daily timescales, but also exhibit pronounced seasonal changes in both that are modulated by local environmental conditions such as temperature. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Linek
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tamara Volkmer
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - J Ryan Shipley
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Cornelia W Twining
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniel Zúñiga
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jesko Partecke
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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19
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Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Król E, Albon S, Evans AL, Arnold W, Hambly C, Irvine RJ, Ropstad E, Stien A, Veiberg V, Speakman JR, Loe LE. Fat storage influences fasting endurance more than body size in an ungulate. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Monica Trondrud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
| | - Gabriel Pigeon
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
- Département de Biologie Faculté des Sciences 2500 boul. de l'Université Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - Elżbieta Król
- School of Biological Sciences Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | | | - Alina L. Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences Elverum Norway
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Austria
| | - Catherine Hambly
- School of Biological Sciences Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | - R. Justin Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UK
- Frankfurt Zoological Society Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Science Norwegian University of Life Sciences Oslo Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway
| | | | - John R. Speakman
- School of Biological Sciences Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
- CAS Center of Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics Kunming China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
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20
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Williams CL, Hindle AG. Field Physiology: Studying Organismal Function in the Natural Environment. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:1979-2015. [PMID: 34190338 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Continuous physiological measurements collected in field settings are essential to understand baseline, free-ranging physiology, physiological range and variability, and the physiological responses of organisms to disturbances. This article presents a current summary of the available technologies to continuously measure the direct physiological parameters in the field at high-resolution/instantaneous timescales from freely behaving animals. There is a particular focus on advantages versus disadvantages of available methods as well as emerging technologies "on the horizon" that may have been validated in captive or laboratory-based scenarios but have yet to be applied in the wild. Systems to record physiological variables from free-ranging animals are reviewed, including radio (VHF/UFH) telemetry, acoustic telemetry, and dataloggers. Physiological parameters that have been continuously measured in the field are addressed in seven sections including heart rate and electrocardiography (ECG); electromyography (EMG); electroencephalography (EEG); body temperature; respiratory, blood, and muscle oxygen; gastric pH and motility; and blood pressure and flow. The primary focal sections are heart rate and temperature as these can be, and have been, extensively studied in free-ranging organisms. Predicted aspects of future innovation in physiological monitoring are also discussed. The article concludes with an overview of best practices and points to consider regarding experimental designs, cautions, and effects on animals. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1979-2015, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassondra L Williams
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Allyson G Hindle
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
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21
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Semenzato P, Cagnacci F, Ossi F, Eccel E, Morellet N, Hewison AJM, Sturaro E, Ramanzin M. Behavioural heat-stress compensation in a cold-adapted ungulate: Forage-mediated responses to warming Alpine summers. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:1556-1568. [PMID: 34028149 PMCID: PMC8362020 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Alpine large herbivores have developed physiological and behavioural mechanisms to cope with fluctuations in climate and resource availability that may become maladaptive under climate warming. We tested this hypothesis in female Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) by modelling annual and daily movement and activity patterns in relation to temperature, vegetation productivity and reproductive status based on bio‐logging data and climate change projections. In summer, ibex moved upslope, tracking the green wave. Ibex decreased diel activity sharply above a threshold temperature of 13–14°C, indicating thermal stress, but compensated behaviourally by foraging both earlier and later in the day, and by moving further upslope than on cooler days, especially reproductive females. This critical temperature will be exceeded three times as often under climate change projections. Under such scenarios, the altitudinal extent of the area will limit the available habitat providing thermal shelter, potentially impacting performance and population distribution of this emblematic mountain ungulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Semenzato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Francesca Cagnacci
- Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology Department, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Federico Ossi
- Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology Department, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige (TN), Italy.,Center Agriculture Food Environment (C3A), University of Trento, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Emanuele Eccel
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Nicolas Morellet
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - A J Mark Hewison
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - Enrico Sturaro
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Maurizio Ramanzin
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy
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22
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Rautiainen H, Bergvall UA, Felton AM, Tigabu M, Kjellander P. Nutritional niche separation between native roe deer and the nonnative fallow deer—a test of interspecific competition. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00571-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractOn an evolutionary time scale, competition for food drives species formation by genetic adaptations to the environment and subsequent niche separation. On a short-term scale, animals use different strategies to meet their nutritional requirements, which ultimately influence their fitness. Understanding these adaptations in herbivores is especially important in temperate climates where animals have adapted both physiologically and behaviorally to seasonal variations in order to meet their nutritional requirements. The aim of this project was to investigate temporal variation in chemical composition of rumen content between two coexisting species of large herbivores, the native roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and the introduced fallow deer (Dama dama L.), as well as a potential effect of competition on niche separation (interspecific differences in rumen nutrient composition). We analyzed 345 rumen samples collected from animals at one 95 km2 estate, Koberg, in southwestern Sweden. Based on samples from all seasons, temporal variation in nutrient composition and interspecific differences between the two deer species were investigated under two contrasting fallow deer population densities. Results revealed that nutrient composition varied between species and across seasons. Roe deer had a higher proportion of rumen protein compared to fallow deer, with the highest proportions in spring. In contrast, fallow deer had a higher proportion of rumen hemicellulose compared to roe deer in spring, while no differences in nutrient composition between species could be found in fall. Overall, there were greater differences between the two species when fallow deer density was high and competition likely more pronounced than when fallow deer density was low. The results from this study can be used to understand interspecific competition and how it fosters niche separation between coexisting large herbivores.
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23
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Desforges J, van Beest FM, Marques GM, Pedersen SH, Beumer LT, Chimienti M, Schmidt NM. Quantifying energetic and fitness consequences of seasonal heterothermy in an Arctic ungulate. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:338-351. [PMID: 33437433 PMCID: PMC7790657 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals have adapted behavioral and physiological strategies to conserve energy during periods of adverse conditions. Heterothermy is one such adaptation used by endotherms. While heterothermy-fluctuations in body temperature and metabolic rate-has been shown in large vertebrates, little is known of the costs and benefits of this strategy, both in terms of energy and in terms of fitness. Hence, our objective was to model the energetics of seasonal heterothermy in the largest Arctic ungulate, the muskox (Ovibos moschatus), using an individual-based energy budget model of metabolic physiology. We found that the empirically based drop in body temperature (winter max ~-0.8°C) overwinter in adult females resulted in substantial fitness benefits in terms of reduced daily energy expenditure and body mass loss. Body mass and energy reserves were 8.98% and 14.46% greater in modeled heterotherms compared to normotherms by end of winter. Based on environmental simulations, we show that seasonal heterothermy can, to some extent, buffer the negative consequences of poor prewinter body condition or reduced winter food accessibility, leading to greater winter survival (+20%-30%) and spring energy reserves (+10%-30%), and thus increased probability of future reproductive success. These results indicate substantial adaptive short-term benefits of seasonal heterothermy at the individual level, with potential implications for long-term population dynamics in highly seasonal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean‐Pierre Desforges
- Bioscience DepartmentAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
- Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
- Department of Natural Resource SciencesMcGill UniversitySte‐Anne‐de‐BellevueQCCanada
| | - Floris M. van Beest
- Bioscience DepartmentAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
- Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - Gonçalo M. Marques
- Marine, Environment & Technology Center (MARETEC)Instituto Superior TécnicoUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Stine H. Pedersen
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAKUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the AtmosphereColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | | | | | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Bioscience DepartmentAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
- Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
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Gaidica M, Dantzer B. Quantifying the Autonomic Response to Stressors-One Way to Expand the Definition of "Stress" in Animals. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:113-125. [PMID: 32186720 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying how whole organisms respond to challenges in the external and internal environment ("stressors") is difficult. To date, physiological ecologists have mostly used measures of glucocorticoids (GCs) to assess the impact of stressors on animals. This is of course too simplistic as Hans Seyle himself characterized the response of organisms to "noxious stimuli" using multiple physiological responses. Possible solutions include increasing the number of biomarkers to more accurately characterize the "stress state" of animal or just measuring different biomarkers to more accurately characterize the degree of acute or chronic stressors an animal is experiencing. We focus on the latter and discuss how heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) may be better predictors of the degree of activation of the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system and complement or even replace measures of GCs as indicators of animal health, welfare, fitness, or their level of exposure to stressors. The miniaturization of biological sensor technology ("bio-sensors" or "bio-loggers") presents an opportunity to reassess measures of stress state and develop new approaches. We describe some modern approaches to gathering these HR and HRV data in free-living animals with the aim that heart dynamics will be more integrated with measures of GCs as bio-markers of stress state and predictors of fitness in free-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Gaidica
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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25
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Menzies AK, Studd EK, Majchrzak YN, Peers MJL, Boutin S, Dantzer B, Lane JE, McAdam AG, Humphries MM. Body temperature, heart rate, and activity patterns of two boreal homeotherms in winter: Homeostasis, allostasis, and ecological coexistence. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allyson K. Menzies
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
| | - Emily K. Studd
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | | | | | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
| | - Jeffrey E. Lane
- Department of Biology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - Andrew G. McAdam
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - Murray M. Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
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26
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Græsli AR, Thiel A, Fuchs B, Singh NJ, Stenbacka F, Ericsson G, Neumann W, Arnemo JM, Evans AL. Seasonal Hypometabolism in Female Moose. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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27
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Abstract
Ruminants living in seasonal environments face a two-fold challenge during winter. The energetic cost of maintaining a high body temperature is higher at lower ambient temperatures, and this is compounded by poor availability and quality of feed. Wild ruminants acclimatize to this energetic challenge by hypothermia, that is, reduced endogenous heat production and abandoning the maintenance of a high body temperature, particularly in peripheral body parts. Further but lesser contributions to lower energy expenditure during winter are reduced foraging activity; lower heat increment of feeding; and reduced maintenance cost of size-reduced organs. Altogether, metabolic rate, estimated by the continuous measurement of heart rate, during winter is downregulated to more than half of the summer level, as is voluntary food intake, even in animals fed ad libitum. The transformation from the summer into the thrifty winter phenotype is also evident in the physiology of digestion. Microbial protein synthesis is less facilitated by diminished phosphorus secretion into the shrunk rumen during winter. In line with this result, the concentration of ammonia, the end-product of protein digestion in the rumen, peaks in rumen liquid in spring, whereas the molar proportion of acetate, an indicator of fermentation of a diet rich in fiber, peaks in winter. In contrast to reduced stimulation of growth of ruminal microbes during winter, active transport of nutrients across the intestinal epithelium is increased, resulting in more efficient exploitation of the lower amount and quality of ingested winter feed. Nevertheless, the energy balance remains negative during winter. This is compensated by using fat reserves accumulated during summer, which become a major metabolic fuel during winter.
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28
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Auclair-Ronzaud J, Benoist S, Dubois C, Frejaville M, Jousset T, Jaffrézic F, Wimel L, Chavatte-Palmer P. No-Contact Microchip Monitoring of Body Temperature in Yearling Horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 86:102892. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2019.102892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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29
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Phenotypic plasticity following weaning: winter body mass trends and food intake in relation to temperature by an arctic ungulate. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02623-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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30
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Thompson DP, Barboza PS, Crouse JA, McDonough TJ, Badajos OH, Herberg AM. Body temperature patterns vary with day, season, and body condition of moose (Alces alces). J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Variation in core body temperature of mammals is a result of endogenous regulation of heat from metabolism and the environment, which is affected by body size and life history. We studied moose (Alces alces) in Alaska to examine the effects of endogenous and exogenous factors on core body temperature at seasonal and daily time scales. We used a modified vaginal implant transmitter to record core body temperature in adult female moose at 5-min intervals for up to 1 year. Core body temperature in moose showed a seasonal fluctuation, with a greater daily mean core body temperature during the summer (38.2°C, 95% CI = 38.1–38.3°C) than during the winter (37.7°C, 95% CI = 37.6–37.8°C). Daily change in core body temperature was greater in summer (0.92°C, 95% CI = 0.87–0.97°C) than in winter (0.58°C, 95% CI = 0.53–0.63°C). During winter, core body temperature was lower and more variable as body fat decreased among female moose. Ambient temperature and vapor pressure accounted for a large amount of the residual variation (0.06–0.09°C) in core body temperature after accounting for variation attributed to season and individual. Ambient temperature and solar radiation had the greatest effect on the residual variation (0.17–0.20°C) of daily change in core body temperature. Our study suggests that body temperature of adult female moose is influenced by body reserves within seasons and by environmental conditions within days. When studying northern cervids, the influence of season and body condition on daily patterns of body temperature should be considered when evaluating thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Thompson
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, Soldotna, AK, USA
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Perry S Barboza
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, College Station, TX, USA
| | - John A Crouse
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, Soldotna, AK, USA
| | | | | | - Andrew M Herberg
- Department of Natural Resources Science and Management, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
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31
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Thiel A, Evans AL, Fuchs B, Arnemo JM, Aronsson M, Persson J. Effects of reproduction and environmental factors on body temperature and activity patterns of wolverines. Front Zool 2019; 16:21. [PMID: 31236127 PMCID: PMC6580505 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0319-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammals in the far north are exposed to extreme seasonal changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature and photoperiod, which have notable effects on animal physiology and behaviour. The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is a carnivore with a circumpolar distribution and well-adapted to extreme environmental conditions. Still, ecophysiological studies on free-ranging wolverines are lacking. In this study, we used abdominally implanted body temperature loggers in combination with GPS collars with acceleration sensors on 14 free-ranging wolverines in northern Sweden to study daily and seasonal variation in body temperature and activity patterns. We used generalized additive mixed modelling to investigate body temperature patterns over time and Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis to analyse circadian rhythms. RESULTS We found that wolverines have an average core body temperature of 38.5 ± 0.2 °C with a daily variation of up to 6 °C. Body temperature patterns varied between reproductive states. Pregnant females showed a distinct decrease in body temperature during gestation. Wolverines were active both in day and night, but displayed distinct activity peaks during crepuscular hours. However, body temperature and activity patterns changed seasonally, with a gradual change from a unimodal pattern in winter with concentrated activity during the short period of day light to a bimodal pattern in autumn with activity peaks around dusk and dawn. Wolverines were less likely to display 24-h rhythms in winter, when hours of day light are limited. CONCLUSIONS The combination of different biologging techniques gave novel insight into the ecophysiology, activity patterns and reproductive biology of free-ranging wolverines, adding important knowledge to our understanding of animals adapted to cold environments at northern latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Thiel
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
| | - Alina L. Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
| | - Boris Fuchs
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
| | - Jon M. Arnemo
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Malin Aronsson
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Jens Persson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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32
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Botha A, Lease HM, Fuller A, Mitchell D, Hetem RS. Biologging subcutaneous temperatures to detect orientation to solar radiation remotely in savanna antelope. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 331:267-279. [PMID: 31033258 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Observations of animal thermoregulatory behavior are labor-intensive, and human presence may disturb the normal behavior of the animal. Therefore, we investigated whether a remote biologging technique could be used to detect orientation to solar radiation in savanna antelope. We predicted that when a mammal was orientated perpendicular to solar radiation, the subcutaneous temperature on the side of the body facing the sun would be greater than that on the opposite side, whereas when the mammal was orientated parallel to solar radiation, subcutaneous temperatures on both sides would be similar. A pilot study showed that the difference between left- and right-side temperatures under a pelt reflected orientation to solar radiation if a pelt-covered cylinder had been orientated for 15 min or longer. In addition, the rate of change in temperature difference could detect orientation that had changed within the previous 5 min. We implanted temperature-sensitive data loggers subcutaneously into the flanks of eight black (Connochaetes gnu) and eight blue (Connochaetes taurinus) wildebeest. By incorporating both the rate of change and subcutaneous temperature differences and excluding times when wildebeest were lying down, our predictions correctly matched behavioral observations of wildebeest orientation to solar radiation 71% of the time. Our technique tended to fail when wildebeest were lying down, wind speeds were high and the sun was overhead. But those are conditions in which the benefits of manipulating orientation to solar radiation is of diminishing importance to a free-living mammal. Therefore, subcutaneous temperatures provide physiologically relevant information on the importance of solar radiation to mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arista Botha
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Hilary M Lease
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Andrea Fuller
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Duncan Mitchell
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Robyn S Hetem
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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33
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Riek A, Stölzl A, Marquina Bernedo R, Ruf T, Arnold W, Hambly C, Speakman JR, Gerken M. Energy expenditure and body temperature variations in llamas living in the High Andes of Peru. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4037. [PMID: 30858417 PMCID: PMC6411917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40576-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Some large herbivores exhibit seasonal adjustments in their energy metabolism. Therefore, our aim was to determine if the llama (one of the most extensively kept livestock breeds) exhibits seasonal adjustment of their energy expenditure, body temperature and locomotion, under its natural high altitude Andean habitat. For this purpose, energy expenditure, body temperature and locomotion were measured in seven non-pregnant llama dams for ten months on the Andean High Plateau (4400 m above sea level). Daily energy expenditure was measured as field metabolic rate using the doubly labelled water method at four different measurement times. Additionally, a telemetry system was used to continuously record activity, body temperature (3 min intervals) as well as the position (hourly) of each animal. The results show that llamas adjusted their body temperature and daily energy expenditure according to environmental conditions. Furthermore, llamas under high altitude Andean climatic conditions exhibited a pronounced daily rhythm in body temperature and activity, with low values at sunrise and increasing values towards sunset. Llamas also had remarkably low energy expenditure compared to other herbivores. Thus, despite the domestication process, llamas have not lost the ability to adjust their body temperature and daily energy expenditure under adverse environmental conditions, similar to some wild herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Riek
- Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Dörnbergstr. 25/27, 29223, Celle, Germany. .,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Anna Stölzl
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rodolfo Marquina Bernedo
- Centro de Estudios y Promoción del Desarrollo del Sur, Calle Malaga Grenet 678 - Umacollo, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Thomas Ruf
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Arnold
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Catherine Hambly
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - John R Speakman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK.,Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, PR China
| | - Martina Gerken
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
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34
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Halsey LG, Green JA, Twiss SD, Arnold W, Burthe SJ, Butler PJ, Cooke SJ, Grémillet D, Ruf T, Hicks O, Minta KJ, Prystay TS, Wascher CAF, Careau V. Flexibility, variability and constraint in energy management patterns across vertebrate taxa revealed by long‐term heart rate measurements. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lewis G. Halsey
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of Roehampton London UK
| | - Jonathan A. Green
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | - Sean D. Twiss
- Department of BiosciencesDurham University Durham UK
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife EcologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Austria
| | - Sarah J. Burthe
- Centre for Ecology & HydrologyBush Estate Penicuik Midlothian UK
| | | | | | - David Grémillet
- CEFE UMR 5175CNRS – Université de Montpellier – Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier – EPHE Montpellier France
| | - Thomas Ruf
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife EcologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Austria
| | - Olivia Hicks
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | | | | | | | - Vincent Careau
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Ottawa Ottawa ON Canada
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35
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Turbill C, Stojanovski L. Torpor reduces predation risk by compensating for the energetic cost of antipredator foraging behaviours. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20182370. [PMID: 30963890 PMCID: PMC6304060 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging activity is needed for energy intake but increases the risk of predation, and antipredator behavioural responses, such as reduced activity, generally reduce energy intake. Hence, the mortality and indirect effects of predation risk are dependent on the energy requirements of prey. Torpor, a controlled reduction in resting metabolism and body temperature, is a common energy-saving mechanism of small mammals that enhances their resistance to starvation. Here we test the hypothesis that torpor could also reduce predation risk by compensating for the energetic cost of antipredator behaviours. We measured the foraging behaviour and body temperature of house mice in response to manipulation of perceived predation risk by adjusting levels of ground cover and starvation risk by 24 h food withdrawal every third day. We found that a voluntary reduction in daily food intake in response to lower cover (high predation risk) was matched by the extent of a daily reduction in body temperature. Our study provides the first experimental evidence of a close link between energy-saving torpor responses to starvation risk and behavioural responses to perceived predation risk. By reducing the risk of starvation, torpor can facilitate stronger antipredator behaviours. These results highlight the interplay between the capacity for reducing metabolic energy expenditure, optimal decisions about foraging behaviour and the life-history ecology of prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Turbill
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
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36
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Zakari FO, Ayo JO, Rekwot PI, Kawu MU, Minka NS, Olaifa FH, Ibrahim MJ, Avazi DO. Daily rhythmicity of behavioral responses in donkeys of different age groups during the cold-dry (harmattan) and hot-dry seasons in a tropical savannah. J Vet Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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37
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Arnold W, Ruf T, Loe LE, Irvine RJ, Ropstad E, Veiberg V, Albon SD. Circadian rhythmicity persists through the Polar night and midnight sun in Svalbard reindeer. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14466. [PMID: 30262810 PMCID: PMC6160466 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32778-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of locomotor activity in Svalbard reindeer reported the temporary absence of diel rhythms under Arctic photic conditions. However, using Lomb-Scargle periodogram analyses with high statistical power we found diel or circadian rhythmicity throughout the entire year in measures of behaviour, temperature in the rumen and heart rate in free-living Svalbard reindeer. Significant diel rhythmicity was only lacking during some of the 15-day intervals analysed in the less frequently measured heart rate. During Polar Night these rhythms were free-running and attenuated. During continual daylight in summer, rhythms where entrained to 24 hours corresponding with the daily variation in the intensity of solar radiation, but attenuated when continuous daylight coincided with the period of growing forage. Diel rhythmicity was reduced during this short period of peak foraging activity, which coincided with peak heart rate and temperature in the rumen, most likely to facilitate fattening when food is abundant. For the rest of the year, heart rate and temperature showed the most pronounced and long-lasting suppression ever found in ungulates. The profound seasonal changes in foraging, metabolic activity, and power of diel and circadian rhythmicity of Svalbard reindeer can be viewed as adaptations to the extreme living conditions in the High Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Arnold
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Thomas Ruf
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Ås, Norway
| | - R Justin Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Steve D Albon
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
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38
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Wascher CAF, Kotrschal K, Arnold W. Free-living greylag geese adjust their heart rates and body core temperatures to season and reproductive context. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2142. [PMID: 29391604 PMCID: PMC5794972 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20655-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals adaptively regulate their metabolic rate and hence energy expenditure over the annual cycle to cope with energetic challenges. We studied energy management in greylag geese. In all geese, profound seasonal changes of heart rate (fH) and body temperature (Tb) showed peaks in summer and troughs during winter, and also daily modulation of fH and Tb. Daily mean fH was on average 22% lower at the winter trough than at the summer peak, whereas daily mean Tb at the winter trough was only about 1 °C below the summer peak. Daily means of Tb together with those of air temperature and day length were the most important predictors of daily mean fH, which was further modulated by precipitation, reproductive state, and, to a minor degree, social rank. Peaks of fH and Tb occurred earlier in incubating females compared to males. Leading goslings increased daily mean fH. Our results suggest that in greylag geese, pronounced changes of fH over the year are caused by photoperiod-induced changes of endogenous heat production. Similar to large non-hibernating mammals, tolerance of lower Tb during winter seems the major factor permitting this. On top of these major seasonal changes, fH and Tb are elevated in incubating females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A F Wascher
- Core facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behahviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, A-4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria. .,Department of Biology, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, United Kingdom.
| | - Kurt Kotrschal
- Core facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behahviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, A-4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Arnold
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1, A-1160, Vienna, Austria
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39
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Novel treatment strategies for chronic kidney disease: insights from the animal kingdom. Nat Rev Nephrol 2018; 14:265-284. [PMID: 29332935 DOI: 10.1038/nrneph.2017.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Many of the >2 million animal species that inhabit Earth have developed survival mechanisms that aid in the prevention of obesity, kidney disease, starvation, dehydration and vascular ageing; however, some animals remain susceptible to these complications. Domestic and captive wild felids, for example, show susceptibility to chronic kidney disease (CKD), potentially linked to the high protein intake of these animals. By contrast, naked mole rats are a model of longevity and are protected from extreme environmental conditions through mechanisms that provide resistance to oxidative stress. Biomimetic studies suggest that the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) offers protection in extreme environmental conditions and promotes longevity in the animal kingdom. Similarly, during months of fasting, immobilization and anuria, hibernating bears are protected from muscle wasting, azotaemia, thrombotic complications, organ damage and osteoporosis - features that are often associated with CKD. Improved understanding of the susceptibility and protective mechanisms of these animals and others could provide insights into novel strategies to prevent and treat several human diseases, such as CKD and ageing-associated complications. An integrated collaboration between nephrologists and experts from other fields, such as veterinarians, zoologists, biologists, anthropologists and ecologists, could introduce a novel approach for improving human health and help nephrologists to find novel treatment strategies for CKD.
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40
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McCafferty DJ, Pandraud G, Gilles J, Fabra-Puchol M, Henry PY. Animal thermoregulation: a review of insulation, physiology and behaviour relevant to temperature control in buildings. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 13:011001. [PMID: 29130885 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa9a12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Birds and mammals have evolved many thermal adaptations that are relevant to the bioinspired design of temperature control systems and energy management in buildings. Similar to many buildings, endothermic animals generate internal metabolic heat, are well insulated, regulate their temperature within set limits, modify microclimate and adjust thermal exchange with their environment. We review the major components of animal thermoregulation in endothermic birds and mammals that are pertinent to building engineering, in a world where climate is changing and reduction in energy use is needed. In animals, adjustment of insulation together with physiological and behavioural responses to changing environmental conditions fine-tune spatial and temporal regulation of body temperature, while also minimizing energy expenditure. These biological adaptations are characteristically flexible, allowing animals to alter their body temperatures to hourly, daily, or annual demands for energy. They exemplify how buildings could become more thermally reactive to meteorological fluctuations, capitalising on dynamic thermal materials and system properties. Based on this synthesis, we suggest that heat transfer modelling could be used to simulate these flexible biomimetic features and assess their success in reducing energy costs while maintaining thermal comfort for given building types.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J McCafferty
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV UMR 7179), Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1 avenue du Petit Château, 91800 Brunoy, France
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Pohlin F, Brabender K, Fluch G, Stalder G, Petit T, Walzer C. Seasonal Variations in Heart Rate Variability as an Indicator of Stress in Free-Ranging Pregnant Przewalski's Horses ( E. ferus przewalskii) within the Hortobágy National Park in Hungary. Front Physiol 2017; 8:664. [PMID: 28936179 PMCID: PMC5594093 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Ecosystems with seasonal fluctuations in climate and food availability present physiological challenges to resident mammals and may cause “stress.” The two predominant physiological responses to stressors are (1) the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and (2) the modulation of the autonomic nervous system. To date, the primary indicator for “stress” in wildlife- and zoo animal research are glucocorticoid levels. By measuring the autonomic regulation of cardiac activity, particularly the vagal tone, heart rate variability (HRV) is presently emerging as a suitable indicator of “stress” in farm- and domestic animal research. Objective: The aim of this study was to use HRV, a novel method in wildlife research, to assess seasonal patterns of “stress” in a group of free-ranging Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). Methods: Six pregnant Przewalski's horses from one harem within the Hortobágy National Park in Hungary were subjected to the study. We used a dedicated telemetry system consisting of a subcutaneously implanted transmitter and a receiver and storage unit in a collar to record HRV, heart rate (HR), subcutaneous body temperature, and activity throughout a one-year study period—climate data was also collected. We defined “stress” as a decrease in parasympathetic nervous system tone and calculated RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences) as a measure of HRV. Linear mixed effects models with random intercept per individual were used for statistical analysis. Results: HRV and HR varied considerably throughout the year. Similar to temperate ruminants and hibernating mammals, Przewalski's horses experienced lower HR and HRV during winter, when resources are limited indicating decreased metabolic rates coupled with “stress.” In spring, we observed a drop of HRV along with a peak in HR indicating an increase of allostatic load that is most likely associated with increased energy demands during pregnancy and/or seasonal routines such as the adjustment of the gastrointestinal system to better quality diet. Conclusion: Measuring telemetric HRV is a proven method to study undisturbed reactions of wild animals to their changing environment over the long term. Przewalski's horses experience a loss of complexity in cardiovascular dynamics over the winter and particularly during spring, indicating seasonal “stress.”
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Pohlin
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Gerhard Fluch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Gabrielle Stalder
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Chris Walzer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaVienna, Austria.,Wildlife Conservation SocietyBronx, NY, United States
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Seasonal changes in energy expenditure, body temperature and activity patterns in llamas (Lama glama). Sci Rep 2017; 7:7600. [PMID: 28790450 PMCID: PMC5548813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07946-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals typically keep their body temperature (Tb) within a narrow limit with changing environmental conditions. There are indications that some wild ungulates can exhibit certain forms of energy saving mechanisms when ambient temperatures are low and/or food is scarce. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine if the llama, one of the most extensively kept domestic livestock species, exhibits seasonal adjustment mechanisms in terms of energy expenditure, Tb and locomotion. For that purpose llamas (N = 7) were kept in a temperate habitat on pasture. Locomotor activity, Tb (measured in the rumen) and the location of each animal were recorded continuously for one year using a telemetry system. Daily energy expenditure was measured as field metabolic rate (FMR). FMR fluctuated considerably between seasons with the lowest values found in winter (17.48 ± 3.98 MJ d−1, 402 kJ kg−0.75 d−1) and the highest in summer (25.87 ± 3.88 MJ d−1, 586 kJ kg−0.75 d−1). Llamas adjusted their energy expenditure, Tb and locomotor activity according to season and also time of day. Thus, llamas seem to have maintained the ability to reduce their energy expenditure and adjust their Tb under adverse environmental conditions as has been reported for some wild ungulates.
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Seebacher F, Little AG. Plasticity of Performance Curves Can Buffer Reaction Rates from Body Temperature Variation in Active Endotherms. Front Physiol 2017; 8:575. [PMID: 28824463 PMCID: PMC5543086 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Endotherms regulate their core body temperature by adjusting metabolic heat production and insulation. Endothermic body temperatures are therefore relatively stable compared to external temperatures. The thermal sensitivity of biochemical reaction rates is thought to have co-evolved with body temperature regulation so that optimal reaction rates occur at the regulated body temperature. However, recent data show that core body temperatures even of non-torpid endotherms fluctuate considerably. Additionally, peripheral temperatures can be considerably lower and more variable than core body temperatures. Here we discuss whether published data support the hypothesis that thermal performance curves of physiological reaction rates are plastic so that performance is maintained despite variable body temperatures within active (non-torpid) endotherms, and we explore mechanisms that confer plasticity. There is evidence that thermal performance curves in tissues that experience thermal fluctuations can be plastic, although this question remains relatively unexplored for endotherms. Mechanisms that alter thermal responses locally at the tissue level include transient potential receptor ion channels (TRPV and TRPM) and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) both of which can influence metabolism and energy expenditure. Additionally, the thermal sensitivity of processes that cause post-transcriptional RNA degradation can promote the relative expression of cold-responsive genes. Endotherms can respond to environmental fluctuations similarly to ectotherms, and thermal plasticity complements core body temperature regulation to increase whole-organism performance. Thermal plasticity is ancestral to endothermic thermoregulation, but it has not lost its selective advantage so that modern endotherms are a physiological composite of ancestral ectothermic and derived endothermic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Seebacher
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexander G Little
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, The University of MiamiMiami, FL, United States
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Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175134. [PMID: 28467429 PMCID: PMC5414982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid spread and diversification of outdoor recreation can impact on wildlife in various ways, often leading to the avoidance of disturbed habitats. To mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, spatial zonation schemes can be implemented to separate human activities from key wildlife habitats, e.g., by designating undisturbed wildlife refuges or areas with some level of restriction to human recreation and land use. However, mitigation practice rarely considers temporal differences in human-wildlife interactions. We used GPS telemetry data from 15 red deer to study the seasonal (winter vs. summer) and diurnal (day vs. night) variation in recreation effects on habitat use in a study region in south-western Germany where a spatial zonation scheme has been established. Our study aimed to determine if recreation infrastructure and spatial zonation affected red deer habitat use and whether these effects varied daily or seasonally. Recreation infrastructure did not affect home range selection in the study area, but strongly determined habitat use within the home range. The spatial zonation scheme was reflected in both of these two levels of habitat selection, with refuges and core areas being more frequently used than the border zones. Habitat use differed significantly between day and night in both seasons. Both summer and winter recreation trails, and nearby foraging habitats, were avoided during day, whereas a positive association was found during night. We conclude that human recreation has an effect on red deer habitat use, and when designing mitigation measures daily and seasonal variation in human-wildlife interactions should be taken into account. We advocate using spatial zonation in conjunction with temporal restrictions (i.e., banning nocturnal recreation activities) and the creation of suitable foraging habitats away from recreation trails.
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Gorr TA. Hypometabolism as the ultimate defence in stress response: how the comparative approach helps understanding of medically relevant questions. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2017; 219:409-440. [PMID: 27364602 DOI: 10.1111/apha.12747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
First conceptualized from breath-hold diving mammals, later recognized as the ultimate cell autonomous survival strategy in anoxia-tolerant vertebrates and burrowing or hibernating rodents, hypometabolism is typically recruited by resilient organisms to withstand and recover from otherwise life-threatening hazards. Through the coordinated down-regulation of biosynthetic, proliferative and electrogenic expenditures at times when little ATP can be generated, a metabolism turned 'down to the pilot light' allows the re-balancing of energy demand with supply at a greatly suppressed level in response to noxious exogenous stimuli or seasonal endogenous cues. A unifying hallmark of stress-tolerant organisms, the adaptation effectively prevents lethal depletion of ATP, thus delineating a marked contrast with susceptible species. Along with disengaged macromolecular syntheses, attenuated transmembrane ion shuttling and PO2 -conforming respiration rates, the metabolic slowdown in tolerant species usually culminates in a non-cycling, quiescent phenotype. However, such a reprogramming also occurs in leading human pathophysiologies. Ranging from microbial infections through ischaemia-driven infarcts to solid malignancies, cells involved in these disorders may again invoke hypometabolism to endure conditions non-permissive for growth. At the same time, their reduced activities underlie the frequent development of a general resistance to therapeutic interventions. On the other hand, a controlled induction of hypometabolic and/or hypothermic states by pharmacological means has recently stimulated intense research aimed at improved organ preservation and patient survival in situations requiring acutely administered critical care. The current review article therefore presents an up-to-date survey of concepts and applications of a coordinated and reversibly down-regulated metabolic rate as the ultimate defence in stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. A. Gorr
- Institute of Veterinary Physiology; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
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Towards a mechanistic understanding of the responses of large terrestrial mammals to heat and aridity associated with climate change. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1186/s40665-016-0024-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Ikeda T, Uchida K, Matsuura Y, Takahashi H, Yoshida T, Kaji K, Koizumi I. Seasonal and Diel Activity Patterns of Eight Sympatric Mammals in Northern Japan Revealed by an Intensive Camera-Trap Survey. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163602. [PMID: 27732611 PMCID: PMC5061397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity patterns of mammals are generally categorized as nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular (active at twilight), and cathemeral (active throughout the day). These patterns are highly variable across regions and seasons even within the same species. However, quantitative data is still lacking, particularly for sympatric species. We monitored the seasonal and diel activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in Hokkaido, Japan. Through an intensive camera-trap survey a total of 13,279 capture events were recorded from eight mammals over 20,344 camera-trap days, i.e., two years. Diel activity patterns were clearly divided into four categories: diurnal (Eurasian red squirrels), nocturnal (raccoon dogs and raccoons), crepuscular (sika deer and mountain hares), and cathemeral (Japanese martens, red foxes, and brown bears). Some crepuscular and cathemeral mammals shifted activity peaks across seasons. Particularly, sika deer changed peaks from twilight during spring–autumn to day-time in winter, possibly because of thermal constraints. Japanese martens were cathemeral during winter–summer, but nocturnal in autumn. We found no clear indication of predator-prey and competitive interactions, suggesting that animal densities are not very high or temporal niche partitioning is absent among the target species. This long-term camera-trap survey was highly cost-effective and provided one of the most detailed seasonal and diel activity patterns in multiple sympatric mammals under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Ikeda
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Kenta Uchida
- Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yukiko Matsuura
- Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Takahashi
- Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Yoshida
- Wildlife Management Laboratory, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Koichi Kaji
- Laboratory of Wildlife Management, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Itsuro Koizumi
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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Seasonal and Diel Activity Patterns of Eight Sympatric Mammals in Northern Japan Revealed by an Intensive Camera-Trap Survey. PLoS One 2016. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163602%20october] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Levesque DL, Nowack J, Stawski C. Modelling mammalian energetics: the heterothermy problem. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1186/s40665-016-0022-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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