scholarly journals Disentangling environmental drivers of circadian metabolism in desert-adapted mice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn P. Colella ◽  
Danielle M. Blumstein ◽  
Matthew D. MacManes

ABSTRACTMetabolism is a complex phenotype shaped by natural environmental rhythms, as well as behavioral, morphological, and physiological adaptations. Although historically studied under constant environmental conditions, continuous metabolic phenotyping through environmental transitions now offers a window into the physiological responses of organisms to changing environments. Here, we use flow-through respirometry to compare metabolic responses of the desert-adapted cactus mouse (Peromyscus eremicus) between diurnally variable and constant environmental conditions. We contrast metabolic responses to circadian cycles in photoperiod, temperature, and humidity, against those recorded under constant hot-and-dry and constant cold-and-wet conditions. We found significant sexual dimorphism in metabolic responses, despite no measurable difference in body weight. Males seem to be more heat tolerant and females more cold tolerant. Under circadian environmental cycling, the ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed (the respiratory quotient or respiratory exchange ratio) reached greater than one, a pattern that strongly suggests that lipogenesis is contributing to the production of energy and endogenous water in this species. This hypothesis is consistent with the results of previous dehydration experiments in this species, which documented significant weight loss in response to dehydration, without other physiological impairment. Our results are also consistent with historical descriptions of circadian torpor in this species (torpid by day, active by night), but reject the hypothesis that this pattern is driven by food restriction or negative water balance, as both resources were available to animals throughout the experiments.SUMMARY STATEMENTContinuous metabolic phenotyping of desert-adapted cactus mice (Peromyscus eremicus) identifies significant metabolic differences between the sexes and circadian patterning consistent with lipogenesis and environmental entrainment.

2021 ◽  
Vol 224 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn P. Colella ◽  
Danielle M. Blumstein ◽  
Matthew D. MacManes

ABSTRACT Metabolism is a complex phenotype shaped by natural environmental rhythms, as well as behavioral, morphological and physiological adaptations. Metabolism has been historically studied under constant environmental conditions, but new methods of continuous metabolic phenotyping now offer a window into organismal responses to dynamic environments, and enable identification of abiotic controls and the timing of physiological responses relative to environmental change. We used indirect calorimetry to characterize metabolic phenotypes of the desert-adapted cactus mouse (Peromyscus eremicus) in response to variable environmental conditions that mimic their native environment versus those recorded under constant warm and constant cool conditions, with a constant photoperiod and full access to resources. We found significant sexual dimorphism, with males being more prone to dehydration than females. Under circadian environmental variation, most metabolic shifts occurred prior to physical environmental change and the timing was disrupted under both constant treatments. The ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed (the respiratory quotient) reached greater than 1.0 only during the light phase under diurnally variable conditions, a pattern that strongly suggests that lipogenesis contributes to the production of energy and endogenous water. Our results are consistent with historical descriptions of circadian torpor in this species (torpid by day, active by night), but reject the hypothesis that torpor is initiated by food restriction or negative water balance.


2004 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 253 ◽  
Author(s):  
John B. Gaughan ◽  
M. Shane Davis ◽  
Terry L. Mader

A controlled crossover experimental design was used to determine the effect of altered water sprinkling duration on heifers subjected to heat stress conditions. Heifers were subjected to 3 days of thermoneutral conditions followed by 3 days of hot conditions accompanied by water sprinkling between 1300 and 1500 h (HOT1–3). Then on the following 2 days (HOT4–5), environmental conditions remained similar, but 3 heifers were sprinkled between 1200 and 1600 h (WET) and 3 were not sprinkled (NONWET). This was followed by a 1-day period (HOT6) in which environmental conditions and sprinkling regimen were similar to HOT1–3. Rectal temperature (RT) was collected hourly, and respiration rate (RR) was monitored every 2 h on HOT Days 2, 4, 5, and 6. Dry matter intake and rate of eating were also determined. Sprinkling reduced RR and RT (P < 0.01) of all heifers during HOT1–3. During HOT4–5, WET heifers had lower (P < 0.05) RT than NONWET from 1300 to 700 h and lower RR from 1400 to 2000 h. Dry matter intake of NONWET heifers was reduced by 30.6% (P < 0.05) during HOT4–5 and by 51.2% on HOT6. On HOT4–5 the dry matter intakes of WET heifers were similar to intakes under thermoneutral conditions. During HOT6, RT was again reduced following sprinkling in all heifers. Comparison of RT and RR of NONWET and WET heifers on HOT1–3 v. HOT6 revealed that under similar environmental conditions, NONWET heifers had increased RT, partially due to carry-over from HOT4–5. However, NONWET heifers had 40% lower feed intake but tended to have lower RR on HOT6 v. HOT1–3. Only RR of WET heifers was greater on HOT6, possibly a result of switching from a 4-h back to a 2-h sprinkling period, while maintaining a 62% greater intake (5.80 v. 3.58 kg/day) than NONWET heifers during this time. Results suggest that inconsistent cooling regimens may increase the susceptibility of cattle to heat stress and elicit different physiological and metabolic responses.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiva L. Oken ◽  
André E Punt ◽  
Daniel S. Holland

Natural resources often exhibit large interannual fluctuations in productivity driven by shifting environmental conditions, and this translates to high variability in the revenue resource users can earn. However, users can dampen this variability by harvesting a portfolio of resources. In the context of fisheries, this means targeting multiple populations, though the ability to actually build diverse fishing portfolios is often constrained by the costs and availability of fishing permits. These constraints are generally intended to prevent overcapitalization of the fleet and ensure populations are fished sustainably. As linked human-natural systems, both ecological and fishing dynamics influence the specific advantages and disadvantages of increasing the diversity of fishing portfolios. Specifically, a portfolio of synchronous populations with similar responses to environmental drivers should reduce revenue variability less than a portfolio of asynchronous populations with opposite responses. We built a bioeconomic model characterized by the Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister), Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and groundfish fisheries in the California Current, and used it to explore the influence of population synchrony and permit access on revenue patterns. As expected, synchronous populations reduced revenue variability less than asynchronous populations, but only for portfolios including crab and salmon. Synchrony with longer-lived groundfish populations was not important because environmentally-driven changes in groundfish early life survival were mediated by growth and natural mortality over the full population age structure, and overall biomass was relatively stable across years. Thus, building a portfolio of diverse life histories can buffer against the impacts of extremely poor environmental conditions over short time scales, though not for long-term declines. Increasing access to all permits generally led to increased revenue stability and decreased inequality of the fleet, but also resulted in less revenue earned by an individual from a given portfolio because more vessels shared the available biomass. This means managers are faced with a tradeoff between the average revenue individuals earn and the risk those individuals accept. These results illustrate the importance of considering connections between social and ecological dynamics when evaluating management options that constrain or facilitate fishers’ ability to diversify their fishing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (30) ◽  
pp. 18119-18126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Line S. Cordes ◽  
Daniel T. Blumstein ◽  
Kenneth B. Armitage ◽  
Paul J. CaraDonna ◽  
Dylan Z. Childs ◽  
...  

Seasonal environmental conditions shape the behavior and life history of virtually all organisms. Climate change is modifying these seasonal environmental conditions, which threatens to disrupt population dynamics. It is conceivable that climatic changes may be beneficial in one season but result in detrimental conditions in another because life-history strategies vary between these time periods. We analyzed the temporal trends in seasonal survival of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) and explored the environmental drivers using a 40-y dataset from the Colorado Rocky Mountains (USA). Trends in survival revealed divergent seasonal patterns, which were similar across age-classes. Marmot survival declined during winter but generally increased during summer. Interestingly, different environmental factors appeared to drive survival trends across age-classes. Winter survival was largely driven by conditions during the preceding summer and the effect of continued climate change was likely to be mainly negative, whereas the likely outcome of continued climate change on summer survival was generally positive. This study illustrates that seasonal demographic responses need disentangling to accurately forecast the impacts of climate change on animal population dynamics.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 2145-2158 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Barr ◽  
V. Engel ◽  
J. D. Fuentes ◽  
D. O. Fuller ◽  
H. Kwon

Abstract. Despite the importance of mangrove ecosystems in the global carbon budget, the relationships between environmental drivers and carbon dynamics in these forests remain poorly understood. This limited understanding is partly a result of the challenges associated with in situ flux studies. Tower-based CO2 eddy covariance (EC) systems are installed in only a few mangrove forests worldwide, and the longest EC record from the Florida Everglades contains less than 9 years of observations. A primary goal of the present study was to develop a methodology to estimate canopy-scale photosynthetic light use efficiency in this forest. These tower-based observations represent a basis for associating CO2 fluxes with canopy light use properties, and thus provide the means for utilizing satellite-based reflectance data for larger scale investigations. We present a model for mangrove canopy light use efficiency utilizing the enhanced green vegetation index (EVI) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) that is capable of predicting changes in mangrove forest CO2 fluxes caused by a hurricane disturbance and changes in regional environmental conditions, including temperature and salinity. Model parameters are solved for in a Bayesian framework. The model structure requires estimates of ecosystem respiration (RE), and we present the first ever tower-based estimates of mangrove forest RE derived from nighttime CO2 fluxes. Our investigation is also the first to show the effects of salinity on mangrove forest CO2 uptake, which declines 5% per each 10 parts per thousand (ppt) increase in salinity. Light use efficiency in this forest declines with increasing daily photosynthetic active radiation, which is an important departure from the assumption of constant light use efficiency typically applied in satellite-driven models. The model developed here provides a framework for estimating CO2 uptake by these forests from reflectance data and information about environmental conditions.


2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Wenny ◽  
Daniel J. Swanson ◽  
R. Kasten Dumroese

Abstract Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) seedlings from Idaho (var. ponderosa) and Arizona (var. scopulorum) grown in a container nursery received optimum chilling [2,010 hr (84 days) of temperatures below 5°C]. While seedlings were in the greenhouse, days required for 50% of the population to break bud were similar for both seed sources and decreased inverse exponentially from 74 to 23 days as chilling hours accumulated to the optimum. When subsequently placed into either refrigerated or frozen storage, Idaho seedlings broke bud significantly faster than Arizona seedlings when returned to favorable environmental conditions for growth. All seedlings removed from refrigerated storage broke bud faster, were less cold tolerant, and therefore less quiescent than seedlings that had been frozen. West. J. Appl. For. 17(3):117–121.


2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 1836-1849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Ramajo ◽  
Carolina Fernández ◽  
Yolanda Núñez ◽  
Paz Caballero ◽  
Marco A Lardies ◽  
...  

Abstract Coastal biota is exposed to continuous environmental variability as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic processes. Responding to heterogeneous conditions requires the presence of physiological strategies to cope with the environment. Ecosystems influenced by upwelling endure naturally cold, acidic and hypoxic conditions, nevertheless they sustain major fisheries worldwide. This suggests that species inhabiting upwelling habitats possess physiological adaptations to handle high environmental variability. Here, we assessed the impact of the main upwelling drivers (temperature, pH and oxygen) in isolation and combined on eco-physiological responses of Chilean scallop Argopecten purpuratus. A. purpuratus responded to hypoxia by increasing their metabolic performance to maintain growth and calcification. Calcification was only affected by pH and increased under acidic conditions. Further, A. purpuratus juveniles prioritized calcification at the expense of growth under upwelling conditions. Increasing temperature had a significant impact by enhancing the physiological performance of A. purpuratus juveniles independently of oxygen and pH conditions, but this was associated with earlier and higher mortalities. Our results suggest that A. purpuratus is acclimated to short-term colder, acidic and hypoxic conditions, and provide important information of how this species responds to the heterogeneous environment of upwelling, which is significantly relevant in the climatic context of upwelling intensification.


Author(s):  
Marta S. Shocket ◽  
Christopher B. Anderson ◽  
Jamie M. Caldwell ◽  
Marissa L. Childs ◽  
Lisa I. Couper ◽  
...  

The transmission of vector-borne diseases is sensitive to environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, and land use/habitat quality. Understanding these causal relationships is especially important as increasing anthropogenic changes drive shifts in vector-borne disease dynamics. In this chapter, we first briefly describe the biology of vectors and pathogens that underlies environmental influences on transmission of vector-borne diseases. Next, we review the impacts of each of the major environmental drivers (as previously mentioned), synthesizing and comparing mechanisms across different vector-borne disease systems. Then, we discuss key challenges and standard approaches to research in the discipline. Finally, we highlight areas where research is advancing in promising new directions and suggest areas where new approaches are needed.


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