Phenotypic plasticity in response to low quality diet in the South American omnivorous rodent Akodon azarae (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae)

Valle, Juana Cristina del; Busch, Cristina; Mañanes, Alejandra Antonia López

doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2006.07.013

Cited by 24 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…This strategy appears to maintain digestive efficiency and energy balance in response to the increased ingestion of low quality subalpine fir seeds, without the need for decreasing throughput times and increasing gut capacity (Derting and Bogue, 1993). Previous studies have suggested that increasing retention of digesta by rodents in the small intestine, in addition to the caecum, is also an effective strategy for improved digestion of low quality foods (Sibly, 1981;Gross et al, 1985;Koteja, 1996;Bozinovic et al, 1997), but we did not observe this (also see del Valle et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 72%

“…We observed no major fluctuations in body mass, as was reported for wood mice (Apodemus speciosus) (Shimada and Saitoh, 2003) and field mice (Akodon azarae) (del Valle et al, 2006) fed low quality diets. The body mass of mice in the subalpine fir group decreased early in the experiment, but quickly recovered, coinciding with the pattern of seed DM intake observed.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…Mice did not compensate for low quality diet by altering their gut length to increase digestive efficiency, as has been reported in other rodents (Green and Millar, 1987;Lee and Houston, 1995;Koteja, 1996;del Valle et al, 2006). It is possible that the efficacy of increasing food intake to maintain body mass rendered any alteration of gut capacity unnecessary (Derting and Bogue, 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Mice fed subalpine fir seeds did not retain digesta for long in the stomach, small intestine, or colon, but instead relied more on the caecum (see Green and Millar, 1987;Derting and Bogue, 1993). An increase in caecum content would facilitate more efficient processing and assimilation of low quality foods through increased microbial degradation, thus allowing higher energy and nutrient extraction (Derting and Bogue, 1993;Spinks and Perrin, 1995;Bozinovic et al, 1997;del Valle et al, 2006). This strategy appears to maintain digestive efficiency and energy balance in response to the increased ingestion of low quality subalpine fir seeds, without the need for decreasing throughput times and increasing gut capacity (Derting and Bogue, 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Animals fed subalpine fir seeds should also increase their food intake and decrease throughput time in order to compensate for the low quality diet (Green and Millar, 1987;Derting and Bogue, 1993;Harju and Tahvanainen, 1994;Bozinovic, 1995;Bozinovic et al, 1997). Furthermore, the gut and vital organs (liver, kidneys, spleen) of mice and voles on subalpine seed-diets should be larger than those feeding on other seeds, in order to more efficiently process food that is low in quality and likely contains PSMs (Sibly, 1981;Lindroth and Batzli, 1984;Green and Millar, 1987;Penry and Jumars, 1987;Harju and Tahvanainen, 1994;Lee and Houston, 1995;Koteja, 1996;del Valle et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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The efficacy of conifer seeds as major food resources to deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi)

Lobo

Millar

2011

Mammalian Biology

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a b s t r a c tConifer seeds are a component of the diet of many rodents, but it is not known whether these seeds can be used as a major food source by rodents. Investigating this is critical to understanding how individual rodents utilize conifer seeds, and how their populations interact with seed production by coniferous trees. We examined the effects of conifer seed-diets on survival, body condition, food consumption, and gut morphology of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) in the laboratory. Experiments were conducted for 14 days using control food (laboratory rodent chow) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), white spruce (Picea glauca), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) seeds. The nutritional compositions of these seeds were also analyzed. Subalpine fir seeds contained the lowest crude protein content and highest fibre content relative to the other seeds. 60% of voles fed subalpine fir seeds were euthanized prior to the end of the experiment after losing greater than 25% of their initial body mass, whereas all mice survived to the end of the experiment in each group. Body masses of mice fed subalpine fir seeds were lower than those fed control food early in the experiment, but they compensated for this by increasing seed intake over the remainder of the experiment. They also retained more digesta in the caecum, which could increase digestion efficiency of the low-quality seeds. On the other hand, voles did not compensate for the low quality of subalpine fir seeds behaviourally (food intake) or morphologically (gut dimensions), and decreased in body mass dramatically. They also decreased in body mass in the longterm on white spruce seed-diets. It is likely that plant secondary metabolites played a major role in the deterioration of body condition of voles fed subalpine fir and white spruce seeds. These results indicate that conifer seeds are a sufficient food resource for mice, but cannot be used by primarily herbivorous voles as a major/sole food source.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 72%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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The efficacy of conifer seeds as major food resources to deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi)

Lobo

Millar

2011

Mammalian Biology

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Does weather shape rodents? Climate related changes in morphology of two heteromyid species

Wolf

Friggens

Salazar‐Bravo

2008

Naturwissenschaften

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Geographical variation in morphometric characters in heteromyid rodents has often correlated with climate gradients. Here, we used the long-term database of rodents trapped in the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, USA to test whether significant annual changes in external morphometric characters are observed in a region with large variations in temperature and precipitation. We looked at the relationships between multiple temperature and precipitation variables and a number of morphological traits (body mass, body, tail, hind leg, and ear length) for two heteromyid rodents, Dipodomys merriami and Perognathus flavescens. Because these rodents can live multiple years in the wild, the climate variables for the year of the capture and the previous 2 years were included in the analyses. Using multiple linear regressions, we found that all of our morphometric traits, with the exception of tail length in D. merriami, had a significant relationship with one or more of the climate variables used. Our results demonstrate that effects of climate change on morphological traits occur over short periods, even in noninsular mammal populations. It is unclear, though, whether these changes are the result of morphological plasticity or natural selection.

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Phenotypic flexibility in response to environmental salinity in the euryhaline crab Neohelice granulata from the mudflat and the saltmarsh of a SW coastal lagoon

2013

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Phenotypic plasticity in response to low quality diet in the South American omnivorous rodent Akodon azarae (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae)

Cited by 24 publications

References 36 publications

The efficacy of conifer seeds as major food resources to deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi)

The efficacy of conifer seeds as major food resources to deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi)

Does weather shape rodents? Climate related changes in morphology of two heteromyid species

Phenotypic flexibility in response to environmental salinity in the euryhaline crab Neohelice granulata from the mudflat and the saltmarsh of a SW coastal lagoon

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