Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adaptive mechanisms during food restriction in Acomys russatus: the use of torpor for desert survival

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus) is an omnivorous desert rodent that does not store food, but can store large amounts of body fat. Thus, it provides a good animal model to study physiological and behavioural adaptations to changes in food availability. The aim of this study was to investigate the time course of metabolic and behavioural responses to prolonged food restriction. Spiny mice were kept at an ambient temperature of 27°C and for 3 weeks their food was reduced individually to 30% of their previous ad libitum food intake. When fed ad libitum, their average metabolic rate was 82.77±3.72 ml O2 h−1 during the photophase and 111.19±4.30 ml O2 h−1 during the scotophase. During food restriction they displayed episodes of daily torpor when the minimal metabolic rate gradually decreased to 16.07±1.07 ml O2 h−1, i.e. a metabolic rate depression of approximately 83%. During the hypometabolic bouts the minimum average body temperature Tb, decreased gradually from 32.6±0.1°C to 29.0±0.4°C, with increasing duration of consecutive bouts. In parallel, the animals increased their activity during the remaining daytime. Torpor as well as hyperactivity was suppressed immediately by refeeding. Thus golden spiny mice used two simultaneous strategies to adapt to shortened food supply, namely energysaving torpor during their resting period and an increase in locomotor activity pattern during their activity period.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boyle PC, Starlien LH, Harper AE, Keesey RE (1981) Oxygen consumption and locomotor activity during restricted feeding and realimentation. Am J Physiol 241:R392-R397

    Google Scholar 

  • Challet E, Pevet P, Malan A (1996) Effect of prolonged fasting and subsequent refeeding on free-running rhythms of temperature and locomotor activity in rats. Behav Brain Res 84:275–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Conn CA, Borer KT, Kluger MJ (1990) Body temperature rhythm and response to pyrogen in exercising and sedentary hamsters. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:636–642

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornish ER, Mrosovsky N (1965) Activity during food deprivation and satiation of six species of rodent. Animal Behav 13:242–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson WR (1955) The relation of oxygen consumption to temperature in desert rodents. J Mamm 36:543–553

    Google Scholar 

  • Doerries LE, Stanley EZ, Aravich PF (1991) Activity-based anorexia: relationship to gender and activity-stress ulcers. Physiol Behav 50:945–949

    Google Scholar 

  • Elvert R, Kronfeld N, Dayan T, Haim A, Zisapel N, Heldmaier G (1999) Telemetric field studies of body temperature and activity rhythms of Acomys russatus and A. cahirinus in the Judean Desert of Israel. Oecologia 119:484–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Exner C, Hebebrand J, Remschmidt H, Wetzer C, Ziegler A, Herpertz S, Schweiger U, Blum WF, Preibisch G, Heldmaier G, Klingenspor M (2000) Leptin suppresses semi-starvation induced hyperactivity in rats: implications for anorexia nervosa. Mol Psy 5:476–481

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuglei E, Oritsland NA (1999) Body composition, resting and running metabolic rates, and net cost of running in rats during starvation. Acta Physiol Scand 165:203–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Geiser F, Ruf T (1995) Hibernation versus daily torpor in mammals and birds: physiological variables and classification of torpor patterns. Phys Zoo 68:935–966

    Google Scholar 

  • Génin F, Perret M (2003) Daily hypothermia in captive grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus): effects of photoperiod and food restriction. Comp Biochem Physiol B:13671–13681

    Google Scholar 

  • Golombek DA, Ortega G, Cardinali DP (1993) Wheel running raises body temperature and changes the daily cycle in golden hamsters. Physiol Behav 53:1049–1054

    Google Scholar 

  • Haim A (1987) Metabolism and thermoregulation in rodent: are these adaptations to habitat and food quality?. S Afr J Sci 83:639–639

    Google Scholar 

  • Haim A, Borut A (1981) Heat production and dissipation in golden spiny mice, Acomys russatus, from two extreme habitats. J Comp Physiol 142:445–450

    Google Scholar 

  • Haim A, Shachaf K, Zisapel N, Reiter RJ (1997) Daily rhythms of body temperature in Acomys russatus: their response to photoperiod manipulations and melatonin. J Therm Biol 22:219–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Haim A, Downs CT, Raman J (2001) Effects of adrenergic blockade on the daily rhythms of body temperature and oxygen consumption of the black-tailed tree rat (Thallomys nigricauda) maintained under different photoperiods. J Therm Biol 26:171–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall JF, Hanford PV (1954) Activity as a function of a restricted feeding schedule. J Comp Physiol Psychiol 47:362–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Heldmaier G (1989) Seasonal acclimatisation of energy requirements in mammals: functional significance of body weight control, hypothermia, torpor and hibernation. In: Wieser W, Gnaiger E (ed) Energy transformations in cells and organisms. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 130–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Heldmaier G (1992) Winterschlaf in Säugetieren. Alma Mater Philippina 1–5

  • Heldmaier G, Klingenspor M (2003) Role of photoperiod during seasonal acclimation in winter active small mammals. In: Heldmaier G, Werner D (eds) Environmental signal processing and adaptation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, pp 251–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Heldmaier G, Ruf T (1992) Body temperature and metabolic rate during natural hypothermia in endotherms. J Comp Physiol B 162:696–706

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heldmaier G, Steinlechner S (1981) Seasonal pattern and energetic of short daily torpor in the Djungarian hamster, Phodopus sungorus. Oecologia 48:265–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Heldmaier G, Klingenspor M, Werneyer M, Lampi BJ, Brooks SPJ, Storey KB (1999) Metabolic adjustments during daily torpor in the Djungarian hamster. AJP Endocrinol Metabol 276:E896-E906

    Google Scholar 

  • Heldmaier G, Ortmann S, Elvert R (2004) Natural hypometabolism during hibernation and daily torpor in mammals. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 141:317–329

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kent S, Hurd M, Satinoff E (1991) Interactions between body temperature and wheel running over the oestrous cycle in rats. Physiol Behav 49:1079–1084

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleiber M (1961) The fire of life. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Koubi HE, Robin JP, Dewasmes G, Le Maho Y, Frutoso J, Minaire, Y (1991) Fasting-induced rise in locomotor activity in rats coincides with increased protein utilization. Physiol Behav 50:337–343

    Google Scholar 

  • Kronfeld-Schor N, Haim A, Dayan T, Zisapel N, Klingenspor M, Heldmaier G (2000) Seasonal thermogenic acclimation of diurnally and nocturnally active desert spiny mice. Physiol biochem zool 73:37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovegrove BG, Heldmaier G (1994) The amplitude of circadian body temperature rhythms in three rodents (Aethomys namaquensis, Thallomys paedulcus and Cryptomys damarensis) along an arboreal-subterranean gradient. Aust J Zool 42:65–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovegrove BG, Raman J, Perrin MR (2001a) Heterothermy in elephant shrews, Elephantulus spp. (Macroscelidae): daily torpor or hibernation. J Comp Physiol 171:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovegrove BG, Raman J, Perrin MR (2001b) Daily torpor in elephant shrews (Macroscelidae: Elephantulus spp.) in response to food deprivation. J Comp Physiol 171:11–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Merkt JR, Taylor CR (1994) “Metabolic switch” for desert survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91:12313–12316

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortmann S, Heldmaier G (1997) Spontaneous daily torpor in Malagasy mouse lemurs. Naturwissenschaften 84:28–32

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ortmann S, Heldmaier G (2000) Regulation of body temperature and energy requirements of hibernating Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota). Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 278:R698–R704

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard D, Rivest S (1989) The role of exercise in thermogenesis and energy balance. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 67:402–409

    Google Scholar 

  • Routtenberg A (1968) “Self-starvation” of rats living in activity wheels: adaptation effects. J Comp Physiol Psychol 66:234–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Routtenberg A, Kuznesof AW (1967) Self-starvation of rats living in activity wheels on a restricted feeding schedule. J Comp Physiol Psychol 64:414–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubal A, Choshniak I, Haim A (1992) Daily rhythms of metabolic rate and body temperature of two murids from extremely different habitats. Chronobiol Int 1992:341–349

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruf T, Heldmaier G (1992) Reduced locomotor activity following daily torpor in the Djungarian hamster: recovery from hypothermia? Naturwissenschaften 79:574–575

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruf T, Heldmaier G (2000) Djungarian hamster–small graminivores with daily torpor. In: Hall S, Stenseth NC (ed) Activity patterns in small mammals. Springe, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 217–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruf T, Klingenspor M, Preis H, Heldmaier G (1991) Daily torpor in the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) interaction with food intake, activity and social behaviour. J Comp Physio B 160:609–615

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruf T, Stieglitz A, Steinlechner S, Blank JL, Heldmaier G (1993) Cold exposure and food restriction facilitate physiological responses to short photoperiod in Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). J Exp Zool 267:104–112

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Severinsen T, Munch IC (1999) Body core temperature during food restriction in rats. Acta Physiol Scand 165:299–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherwin CM (1998) Voluntary wheel running: a review and novel interpretation. Anim Behav 56:11–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Shkolnik A (1971) Diurnal activity in a small desert rodent. Int J Biometeor 15:115–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Shkolnik A, Borut B (1969) Temperature and water relations in two species of spiny mice (Acomys). J Mammal 50: 245–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Spear NE, Hill WF (1962) Methodological note: excessive weight loss in rats living in activity wheels. Psych Rep 11:437–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor CR, Schmidt-Nielsen K, Raab JL (1970) Scaling of energetic cost of running to body size in mammals. Am J Physiol 219:1104–1107

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weinert D, Waterhouse J (1998) Diurnally changing effects of locomotor activity on body temperature in laboratory mice. Physiol Behav 63:837–843

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilz M, Heldmaier G (2000) Comparison of hibernation, estivation and daily torpor in the edible dormouse. Glis glis. J Comp Physiol B 170:511–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Wunder BA (1970) Energetics of running activity in merriam’s chipmunk, Eutamias merriami. Comp Biochem Physiol 33:821–836

    Google Scholar 

  • Wunder BA, Morrison PR (1974) Red squirrel metabolism during incline running. Comp Biochem Physiol 48A:153–161

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Physiology, Philipps University of Marburg, Karl von Frisch Str. 6, 35043, Marburg, Germany

    N. Ehrhardt, G. Heldmaier & C. Exner

Authors
  1. N. Ehrhardt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Heldmaier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Exner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Exner.

Additional information

Communicated by I.D. Hume

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ehrhardt, N., Heldmaier, G. & Exner, C. Adaptive mechanisms during food restriction in Acomys russatus: the use of torpor for desert survival. J Comp Physiol B 175, 193–200 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-005-0475-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-005-0475-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation