Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains

In mountain environments, both temperature and food availability vary strongly with altitude, leading to a major challenge to the thermo-energetic balance of organisms. In this sense, the behavioral repertoire is crucial for animals' adequacy because it implies a short-term response in the face of e...

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Autores principales: Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián, Menéndez, Josefina, Taraborelli, Paula Andrea, Scattolón, Federico Omar, Sassi, Paola Lorena
Formato: Artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/13761
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eth.13350
https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.13350
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author Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián
Menéndez, Josefina
Taraborelli, Paula Andrea
Scattolón, Federico Omar
Sassi, Paola Lorena
author_browse Menéndez, Josefina
Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián
Sassi, Paola Lorena
Scattolón, Federico Omar
Taraborelli, Paula Andrea
author_facet Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián
Menéndez, Josefina
Taraborelli, Paula Andrea
Scattolón, Federico Omar
Sassi, Paola Lorena
author_sort Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián
collection INTA Digital
description In mountain environments, both temperature and food availability vary strongly with altitude, leading to a major challenge to the thermo-energetic balance of organisms. In this sense, the behavioral repertoire is crucial for animals' adequacy because it implies a short-term response in the face of environmental changes. In this paper, we explored the behavioral versatility of Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina (Rodentia: Cricetidae), two of the mammal species with the highest altitudinal distribution worldwide. By radiotelemetry, we analyzed the activity pattern, home range, and microhabitat selection in populations of both species inhabiting at 2300 and 3100 m altitude in the Central Andes of Argentina. We found that A. andina was diurnal at 3100 m and cathemeral at 2300 m a.s.l., while P. vaccarum was nocturnal at both elevations. Moreover, home range size was larger in A. andina males at 3100 m in contrast to females at identical altitude and males at 2300 m; while, in P. vaccarum, there were no differences according to altitude or sex. Furthermore, we recorded a complex and species-specific microhabitat selection pattern at different altitudes. Finally, the magnitude of behavioral variability was higher in A. andina than in P. vaccarum for all the traits analyzed. These results are discussed with emphasis on the impact of behavioral traits and their plasticity for species adequacy in high-altitude environments.
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spelling INTA137612022-12-29T13:18:17Z Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián Menéndez, Josefina Taraborelli, Paula Andrea Scattolón, Federico Omar Sassi, Paola Lorena Roedores Comportamiento Animal Plasticidad Fenotípica Habitat Rodents Animal Behaviour Phenotypic Plasticity Habitats Phyllotis vaccarum Abrothrix andina Región Andina In mountain environments, both temperature and food availability vary strongly with altitude, leading to a major challenge to the thermo-energetic balance of organisms. In this sense, the behavioral repertoire is crucial for animals' adequacy because it implies a short-term response in the face of environmental changes. In this paper, we explored the behavioral versatility of Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina (Rodentia: Cricetidae), two of the mammal species with the highest altitudinal distribution worldwide. By radiotelemetry, we analyzed the activity pattern, home range, and microhabitat selection in populations of both species inhabiting at 2300 and 3100 m altitude in the Central Andes of Argentina. We found that A. andina was diurnal at 3100 m and cathemeral at 2300 m a.s.l., while P. vaccarum was nocturnal at both elevations. Moreover, home range size was larger in A. andina males at 3100 m in contrast to females at identical altitude and males at 2300 m; while, in P. vaccarum, there were no differences according to altitude or sex. Furthermore, we recorded a complex and species-specific microhabitat selection pattern at different altitudes. Finally, the magnitude of behavioral variability was higher in A. andina than in P. vaccarum for all the traits analyzed. These results are discussed with emphasis on the impact of behavioral traits and their plasticity for species adequacy in high-altitude environments. EEA Barrow Fil: Ruperto, Emmanuel F. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. CCT-Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas. Ecología Integrativa de Fauna Silvestre; Argentina Fil: Menéndez, Josefina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. CCT-Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas. Ecología Integrativa de Fauna Silvestre; Argentina Fil: Taraborelli, Paula Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Barrow; Argentina Fil: Taraborelli, Paula Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Scattolón, Federico Omar. Instituto de Educación Física 9-016 (Mendoza); Argentina Fil: Sassi, Paola L. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. CCT-Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas. Ecología Integrativa de Fauna Silvestre; Argentina Fil: Sassi, Paola L. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina 2022-12-29T13:15:51Z 2022-12-29T13:15:51Z 2022-12 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/13761 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eth.13350 1439-0310 https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.13350 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf Wiley Ethology: international journal of behavioural biology : 1-16 (First published: 22 December 2022)
spellingShingle Roedores
Comportamiento Animal
Plasticidad Fenotípica
Habitat
Rodents
Animal Behaviour
Phenotypic Plasticity
Habitats
Phyllotis vaccarum
Abrothrix andina
Región Andina
Ruperto, Emmanuel Fabián
Menéndez, Josefina
Taraborelli, Paula Andrea
Scattolón, Federico Omar
Sassi, Paola Lorena
Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains
title Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains
title_full Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains
title_fullStr Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains
title_full_unstemmed Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains
title_short Behavioral responses of two small-sized rodents, Phyllotis vaccarum and Abrothrix andina, to energy challenges of high-altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains
title_sort behavioral responses of two small sized rodents phyllotis vaccarum and abrothrix andina to energy challenges of high altitude habitats in the andes mountains
topic Roedores
Comportamiento Animal
Plasticidad Fenotípica
Habitat
Rodents
Animal Behaviour
Phenotypic Plasticity
Habitats
Phyllotis vaccarum
Abrothrix andina
Región Andina
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/13761
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eth.13350
https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.13350
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