Thermoregulatory capacities and torpor in the South American marsupial, Dromiciops gliroides

During periods of adverse conditions small endotherms depend on a continuous supply of food and energy to maintain body temperature. Thus, rapid and reversible phenotypic modifications at different organizational levels are key for an efficient use of resources and survival. In this study, we provid...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of thermal biology 2014-10, Vol.45, p.1-8
Main Authors: Cortés, Pablo A., Franco, Marcela, Moreno-Gómez, Felipe N., Barrientos, Karin, Nespolo, Roberto F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acclimation
Acclimatization
Animals
Arousal
Basal Metabolism
Body temperature
Body Weight
Control
Dromiciops gliroides
Expenditures
Flexibility
Insulation
Marsupial
Marsupialia - physiology
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine - pharmacology
Strategy
Thermal acclimation
Thermogenesis
Thermogenesis - drug effects
Thermogenesis - physiology
Torpor
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:During periods of adverse conditions small endotherms depend on a continuous supply of food and energy to maintain body temperature. Thus, rapid and reversible phenotypic modifications at different organizational levels are key for an efficient use of resources and survival. In this study, we provide a quantitative description of thermoregulatory capacities and energy-saving strategies in the Chilean marsupial Dromiciops gliroides. In particular, we evaluated the effect of thermal acclimation on basal metabolic rate (BMR), thermal conductance (C) and torpor patterns, as well as the presence of non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) as a rewarming mechanism in this marsupial. Non-significant effects of thermal acclimation were observed in BMR, C and body mass, but cold-acclimated individuals exhibited significantly longer torpor bouts. Also, minimum body temperature during torpor, inter-bout body temperature and arousal rewarming rate were lower in cold-acclimated animals. Furthermore, we found that D. gliroides did not display NST in response to Norepinephrine. Hence, despite the high regulation of torpor of other species, D. gliroides shows low flexibility in the ability to adjust energy expenditure and insulation properties, and (as in other marsupials) NST do not seems to be important as thermoregulatory mechanism. •We found that D. gliroides did not display NST in response to Norepinephrine.•No flexibility in basal metabolic rate was observed after thermal acclimation.•Wet thermal conductance does not change after thermal acclimation.
ISSN:0306-4565
1879-0992
DOI:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.07.003