Effect of age and breeding season on sperm acrosin activity in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L.)

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Stasiak ◽  
B. Janicki
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Fox ◽  
Alopex Lagopus ◽  
A Value ◽  
Arctic Foxes ◽  
The Mean ◽  
One Year ◽  
Acrosin Activity ◽  
Effect Of Age

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effect of age and reproductive season on selected properties of semen from the arctic fox, Alopex lagopus L. The experiment used 40 ejaculates collected manually from 6 animals (3 foxes aged one year and 3 foxes older than three years). Statistically less semen (0.39 cm3) was collected from the young compared to the older animals, and the ejaculates obtained were characterized by higher concentration of spermatozoa (195.04 x 106/cm3). In turn, sperm acrosomal extracts from the older animals contained statistically more acrosin (6,4 mU/106 spermatozoa). In the sperm acrosomal extracts prepared during the first semen sampling, the mean acrosin activity did not exceed 2.3 mU/million spermatozoa. At subsequent semen sampling dates, the activity of the analysed enzyme increased to reach 7.72mU/million spermatozoa. In the extracts obtained from the semen collected at the end of the breeding season of arctic foxes, the acrosin activity again reached a value obtained at the beginning of the season.

Den use by arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) in a subarctic region of western Alaska

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 627-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Michael Anthony
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Fox ◽  
Alopex Lagopus ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Subarctic Region ◽  
Arctic Circle ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Arctic Foxes ◽  
Den Use

Distribution, abundance, and use of arctic fox dens located in coastal tundra communities of the Yukon–Kuskokwim delta were determined in studies from 1985 to 1990. Dens were denser and less complex than those described in studies conducted above the Arctic Circle. Eighty-three dens of varying complexity were found in the 52-km2 study area. Nineteen dens were used by arctic foxes for whelping or rearing pups. Three females relocated litters to multiple dens; a maximum of four dens were used concurrently by pups from one litter. Although red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were common in the region, their use of dens in the study area was minimal. Differences in vegetation at den sites and nearby unoccupied sites were minimal. Furthermore, den sites could not be distinguished from non-den sites during aerial surveys.

Determination of sperm acrosin activity in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L.) – using method developed for human spermatozoa

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 799-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Stasiak ◽  
B. Janicki ◽  
J. Glogowski
Keyword(s):  
Seminal Plasma ◽  
Sperm Count ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Human Spermatozoa ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Fox ◽  
Alopex Lagopus ◽  
Triton X ◽  
Acrosin Activity

Abstract The aim of the study was to adapt a method to determine acrosin activity of human spermatozoa to arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L.) spermatozoa. We modified this method by reducing sperm count per sample from 1÷10 × 106 to 25÷200 × 103, incubation time from 180 minutes to 60 minutes, and Triton X-100 concentration in the reaction mixture from 0.01% to 0.005% per 100 cm3. It has also confirmed that arctic fox seminal plasma is rich in proteinases and their inhibitors. To completely abolish the inhibitory effect of seminal plasma on acrosin activity it is recommended to wash the spermatozoa four times. Benzamidine served an inhibitor of acrosin activity.

scholarly journals Relationship of arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L.) sperm morphology with age of males, sperm concentration, ejaculate volume and acrosin activity

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 741-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Stasiak ◽  
Stanisław Kondracki ◽  
Maria Iwanina
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Arctic Fox ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Arctic Foxes ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Acrosin Activity ◽  
Sperm Acrosome

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the relationship of sperm morphology with age of males, ejaculate concentration and volume, as well as with acrosin activity determined in sperm acrosome extracts. The study used manually collected ejaculates from 9 male arctic foxes, including 6 young males aged one year and 3 older males (between 3 and 5 years of age). All of the 39 ejaculates used in the study were classified as normal based on motility exceeding 70%. The ejaculates collected from the foxes were evaluated for volume, sperm concentration and frequency of morphological changes including primary and secondary defects. The spermiograms of the male arctic foxes were classified according to a six-grade subjective scale. In addition, acrosin activity was determined in the sperm acrosome extracts. The data were analysed using the criteria of male age, sperm concentration, ejaculate volume, and acrosin activity. The morphology of arctic fox spermatozoa was dependent on the age of the male. A greater number of morphologically altered spermatozoa tended to occur in the ejaculates of young foxes, which were in their first breeding season. In addition, statistical analysis revealed positive relationships between the frequency of morphological changes in sperm and their ejaculate concentration. In contrast, there were no significant correlations between the percentages of morphologically changed spermatozoa and the ejaculate volume and the content of acrosin, which is an indicator of acrosomal integrity. Semen quality is dependent on the number of sperm in ejaculate with morphological defects which prevent oocyte fertilization. Therefore, morphological assessment of semen, which covers both the number and type of morphological changes, is highly useful when selecting appropriate males for reproduction.

scholarly journals Energy Cost of Running in an Arctic Fox, Alopex lagopus

2003 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Fuglei ◽  
Nils A. Øritsland
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Energy Cost ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Fox ◽  
Alopex Lagopus ◽  
Energy Cost Of Running ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Determine Effect

This work was conducted to determine effect of season and starvation on metabolic rate during running in the Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) on Svalbard (78°55’N, 11°56’E), Norway. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure metabolic rate of foxes running on a treadmill and heart rate was monitored using implanted radio transmitters. The relationship between heart rate and metabolic rate was also examined. Metabolic rate increased with running speed. In July the metabolic rate during running almost fitted general equations predicted for mammals, while it was up to 20% lower in January, indicating seasonal variation in metabolic rate. There was a significant positive linear relationship between heart rate and weight specific metabolic rate, suggesting that heart rate can be used as an indicator of metabolic rate. Starvation for 11 days decreased the net cost of running by 13% in January and 17% in July, suggesting that a starved fox runs more energetically efficient than when fed. Heart rate measured in July decreased by 27% during starvation. Re-feeding reversed the starvation-induced reduction in metabolic rate and heart rate during running almost up to post-absorptive levels. The present results are from one fox, and must be considered as preliminary data until further studies are conducted.

PARASITES OF THE ARCTIC FOX (ALOPEX LAGOPUS) IN ICELAND

1993 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 440-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Skirnisson ◽  
M. Eydal ◽  
E. Gunnarsson ◽  
P. Hersteinsson
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Fox ◽  
Alopex Lagopus

Seasonal patterns of prey availability and the foraging behavior of arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) in a waterfowl nesting area

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 2853-2859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Stickney
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
Alopex Lagopus ◽  
Arctic Foxes ◽  
Community Types ◽  
One Year ◽  
Nest Initiation

The foraging behavior of arctic foxes was observed in a waterfowl nesting area on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska in 1985–1986. Observations were made during peak fox activity from two towers, 3 m high, located in different community types. Data were collected continuously for individual foxes on specific activities, the community in which activities occurred, and the type of food obtained. After migratory birds started nesting in the area, the food potentially available to foxes changed from microtines, old caches, and carrion to include eggs and birds. This change was reflected in the foraging behavior of the foxes as they switched to predation on eggs. After nesting began, the search success rate of foxes increased (from <30% to >50%) and search duration decreased (mean 19.7 s before nest initiation versus mean 9.4 s in mid-incubation) as the rate of food acquisition increased. Over 80% of the eggs taken by foxes were cached rather than eaten immediately, which extended the availability of this temporally limited resource to foxes. Eggs were the primary prey of arctic foxes during the nesting stages in both years, even though microtine populations were high in one year (1985) and low in the other (1986).

Denning and home-range characteristics of breeding arctic foxes in Svalbard

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 1276-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pål Prestrud
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Landscape Patterns ◽  
Alopex Lagopus ◽  
Arctic Foxes ◽  
The Mean

Home range, den density, and use of dens of arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) in Svalbard were investigated through systematic den surveys, ear tagging of pups, and tracking of radio-collared animals. The mean home range for three breeding vixens was 48 km2. Home-range estimates based on occupied dens were between 46 and 75 km2. This is larger than recorded for arctic foxes elsewhere, and may be related to the absence of small mammals and, consequently, to a more scattered prey base in Svalbard. Home-range size was apparently not related to variations in the availability of food among years or among seasons. The density of all dens recorded was 1/24 km2. As a consequence of landscape patterns, these dens were more clustered than if they were randomly dispersed. However, dens with litters in 1986 (1 den/75 km2) were more widely spaced than if randomly distributed, indicating territoriality among arctic foxes. Most dens were in use throughout the year. Some litters were relocated or subdivided among several dens.

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