Seasonal changes in thyroid-gonadal interactions in the edible dormouse,Glis glis

Summary This study was conducted to determine changes in thyroid-gonadal interaction in the edible dormouse during the phase of the annual cycle that corresponds to the end of the breeding season (from June to September). We evaluated intra-hypothalamic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) content, and plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) in three groups of dormice: (1) controls; (2) dormice receiving sufficient T4 supplementation to maintain June levels in control animals until September, thus counteracting the seasonal reduction of T4 that normally begins in July; and (3) thyroidectomized dormice. The effect of thyroidectomy was only detectable in June, when plasma T4 concentration in the control group was maximal, and consisted of a significant decrease in plasma testosterone levels. This provides strong support for the hypothesis that thyroid function positively influences gonadal function during the breeding season. The T4 supplementation resulted in a decrease in hypothalamic LHRH concentration, suggesting that an increased LHRH release led to the observed stimulated hypophyseal secretion of LH in June and September and the increased circulating testosterone levels in September. There was no detectable effect in July and August. These results show that thyroid axis activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system is only possible during certain phases of the annual cycle, particularly evidenced here during the breeding season. They also reinforce our conclusions drawn from the thyroidectomy results. Conversely, the summer testicular regression which normally occurs after the breeding season is no longer controlled by plasma T4 levels. Even though the sensitivity of the gonadal axis to the thyroid axis appears to reappear at the end of the summer, results of previous studies indicate that this resumption is only temporary.Abbreviations LH luteinizing hormone - LHRH luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone - RIA radioimmunoassay - T4 thyroxine - TSH thyroid-stimulating hormone     

Comparison of hibernation, estivation and daily torpor in the edible dormouse, Glis glis

Three major forms of dormancy in mammals have been classified: hibernation in endotherms is characterised by reduced metabolic rate (MR) and body temperature (T _b) near ambient temperature (T _a) over prolonged times in the winter. Estivation is a similar form of dormancy in a dry and hot environment during summertime. Daily torpor is defined as reduced MR and T _b lower than 32 °C, limited to a duration of less than 24 h. The edible dormouse (Glis glis) is capable for all three distinct forms of dormancy. During periods of food restriction and/or low T _a, daily torpor is displayed throughout the year, alternating with hibernation and estivation in winter and summer respectively. We recorded T _b, O₂-consumption and CO₂-production in unrestrained dormice at different T _a's for periods of up to several months. Cooling rate and rate of metabolic depression during entrance into the torpid state was identical in all three forms of dormancy. The same was true for thermal conductance, maximum heat production, duration of arousal and cost of an arousal. The only difference between hibernation and daily torpor was found in the bout duration. A daily torpor bout lasted 3–21 h, a hibernation bout 39–768 h. As a consequence of prolonged duration, MR, T _b and also the T _b − T _a gradient decreased to lower values during hibernation bouts when compared to daily torpor bouts. Our findings suggest that all three forms of dormancy are based on the same physiological mechanism of thermal and metabolic regulation. Accepted: 27 June 2000     

Glucagon secretion in the hibernating edible dormouse (Glis glis)

Plasma glucose and glucagon concentrations were measured in edible dormice during the bout of hibernation, arousal and active periods. During lethargy, plasma glucose and glucagon were low, compared to active values and did not fluctuate throughout the phase. During rewarming, plasma glucose regularly increased from 17 degrees to 37 degrees C while plasma glucagon rose after the 17 degrees C stage and reached the higher values at 26 degrees C, then slightly decreased at 37 degrees C. During arousal, plasma levels of free amino acids progressively increased. The effect of temperature and secretagogue (glucose and arginine) on glucagon secretion was studied using perfused pancreas from hibernating edible dormouse. In vitro rewarming of pancreas induced an increase in glucagon secretion. Glucagon secretion was regulated by glucose (inhibitory effect) and by arginine (stimulating effect) up to 25 degrees C. The effect of temperature and glucagon on oxygen uptake of hibernating edible dormouse brown fat was studied using an in vitro technique. Rewarming strongly increased oxygen consumption from 10 to 37 degrees C. Glucagon enhanced oxygen consumption up to 20 degrees C.     

Isolation, characterization and PCR multiplexing of polymorphic microsatellite markers in the edible dormouse, Glis glis

We isolated and characterized 10 dinucleotide microsatellite loci in the edible dormouse, Glis glis (Linnaeus). Four multiplex panels were developed. Loci were amplified in samples from two geographically distant populations (Torgny in Belgium and Montseny in Spain). All loci were polymorphic in Spain but four were monomorphic in Belgium. Individuals from Belgium and Spain exhibited an average allelic diversity of 1.9 and 3.3 and an observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.08 to 0.47 and from 0.04 to 0.72, respectively.     

Control of annual endocrine rhythms in the edible dormouse: nonprimary effect of photoperiod.

We investigated the extent to which photoperiodic fluctuations synchronize annual thyroid and gonadal rhythmicity in edible dormice. The effects of different daylength manipulations (LD 4:20, LD 6:18, LD 18:6, LD 20:4) were examined during the two critical ascending and regressive phases of the annual plasma testosterone and thyroxine cycles that correspond to naturally increasing or decreasing photoperiod variations. The data failed to demonstrate any essential photoperiodic contribution to control systems that generate these two annual biological rhythms in dormice.     

A comparison of inbreeding rates in India, Japan, Europe and China.

This is a report on an application of a new method for estimating inbreeding rates in large, semi-isolated populations over time. This study is intended to further show the versatility of the method. In a previous study, the method was shown to be useful in analysing the effect of details in a single population curve on inbreeding. In this study, the method is applied to the population curves of India, Japan, Europe and China over the past two millennia, to allow inter-comparisons of the inbreeding within those populations. Anthropologists traditionally concentrate on small isolates within a country for the estimation of inbreeding. Those isolates, however, might not be representative of the country as a whole. The method used in this study attempts to estimate inbreeding over large regions over an extended period of time. The method models the genealogical 'paradox' and yields estimates of the average inbreeding in terms of Pearl's coefficient Z, as a function of time. It is first assumed that the whole population of each country is the adult (breeding) population, corresponding to minimum inbreeding. It is found that the more complex the population curve examined, the greater the precision of the Z curves obtained. The effect of incorporating a single known value of inbreeding into the analyses is also investigated. This procedure produces a more realistic situation where the adult (breeding) population is considerably less than the entire population. It is shown, that if it is assumed that the whole population of the country is the adult (breeding) population, then a present day person from one of the four regions/countries studied is descended from between 72% and 97% of the early medieval population of the particular country. On the other hand, if a known value of inbreeding for Britain is incorporated into the analysis, these values become of the order of 1% for the older-settled regions/countries, and about 16% for Japan. However, that value for Japan is reduced to about 1% when a known value of inbreeding for this country is used. Although some uncertainty in these results remains, the versatility of the method demonstrated here will provide more accurate results, as better input-data become available.     

Predation pressure in maize across Europe and in Argentina: an intercontinental comparison

Humankind draws important benefits from large-scale ecological processes termed ecosystem services, yet the status of several of them is declining. Reliable monitoring methods are essential for tracking the status of ecosystem services. Predation is the mainstay of natural pest control, a key ecosystem service. We used green plasticine caterpillars to monitor predation pressure, and to obtain baseline data on predator activity in transgenic Bt versus non-Bt maize fields in Old and New World countries. Predation pressure was measured at ground and canopy levels using an identical, small-plot experimental design in four European countries (Denmark, Slovakia, Romania and Italy) and Argentina. Total predation rate in maize was l l.7%d^-1 (min. 7.2%d^-1 in Argentina, max. 29.0%d^-1 in Romania). Artificial caterpillars were attacked both by invertebrates (mostly chewing insects with 42.0% of the attack marks, and ants with 7.1%, but also predatory and parasitoid wasps, spiders and slugs), and vertebrates (small mammals 25.5%, and birds 20.2%). Total predation at ground level (15.7%d^-1) was significantly higher than in maize canopies (6.0%d^-1) in all countries, except Argentina. We found no significant differences between predator pressure in Bt versus non-Bt maize plots. The artificial caterpillar method provided comparable, quantitative data on predation intensity, and proved to be suitable for monitoring natural pest control. This method usefully expands the existing toolkit by directly measuring ecological function rather than structure.     

Energy expenditure increases during the active season in the small,free-living hibernator Muscardinus avellanarius

Little is known about strategies employed by small mammals to reduce energy expenditure during the summer. To understand whether ambient conditions impact euthermic energy demands in a small free-living hibernator, we measured metabolic rate of hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) in the field. Furthermore, we aimed to reveal which variables influence torpor use. Our results show that hazel dormice altered euthermic energy expenditure during summer but not as expected as a response to environmental conditions. Euthermic resting metabolic rate was lowest directly after emergence from hibernation and increased by about 95% until the end of August. A considerable part of this increase was presumably caused by the changing influence of gender and rain on energy demands during different months, variation in food quality and quantity, and reversible size changes of organs that had been atrophied during hibernation. Torpor use in hazel dormice occurred more frequently when it was colder, earlier during the day, and in lighter individuals. Torpor was used routinely in males and non-reproductive females. We show that torpor is used more frequently than previously suggested by studies that only used visual proof of torpor use by surveying nest boxes.     

Native and alien floras in urban habitats: a comparison across 32 cities of central Europe

Aim To determine relative effects of habitat type, climate and spatial pattern on species richness and composition of native and alien plant assemblages in central European cities. Location Central Europe, Belgium and the Netherlands. Methods The diversity of native and alien flora was analysed in 32 cities. In each city, plant species were recorded in seven 1‐ha plots that represented seven urban habitat types with specific disturbance regimes. Plants were classified into native species, archaeophytes (introduced before ad 1500) and neophytes (introduced later). Two sets of explanatory variables were obtained for each city: climatic data and all‐scale spatial variables generated by analysis of principal coordinates of neighbour matrices. For each group of species, the effect of habitat type, climate and spatial variables on variation in species composition was determined by variation partitioning. Responses of individual plant species to climatic variables were tested using a set of binomial regression models. Effects of climatic variables on the proportion of alien species were determined by linear regression. Results In all cities, 562 native plant species, 188 archaeophytes and 386 neophytes were recorded. Proportions of alien species varied among urban habitats. The proportion of native species decreased with increasing range and mean annual temperature, and increased with increasing precipitation. In contrast, proportions of archaeophytes and neophytes increased with mean annual temperature. However, spatial pattern explained a larger proportion of variation in species composition of the urban flora than climate. Archaeophytes were more uniformly distributed across the studied cities than the native species and neophytes. Urban habitats rich in native species also tended to be rich in archaeophytes and neophytes. Main conclusions Species richness and composition of central European urban floras are significantly affected by urban habitat types, climate and spatial pattern. Native species, archaeophytes and neophytes differ in their response to these factors.     

Morphometric and genetic structure of the edible dormouse (Glis glis): a consequence of forest fragmentation in Turkey

Past climatic fluctuations influenced forest habitats and impacted heavily the distribution of forest species, such as the edible dormouse, by changing the distribution and composition of forests themselves. Such effects may be valid for ongoing climate change as well. To improve our understanding of the edible dormouse's history and how it responded to changes in its environment, we investigated its variation across the understudied zone of Northern Turkey using two complementary markers of differentiation: the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for genetics, and size and shape of the first upper molar for phenotypic differences. Genetic and morphometric results were strongly discrepant. Genetic analyses evidenced an amazing homogeneity throughout the Eurasian range of the edible dormouse, whereas morphometrics pointed to a complex, step‐wise differentiation along the Black Sea coast, the main signal being an opposition between Easternmost and Westernmost Turkish dormice. The genetic homogeneity suggests that this phenotypic differentiation is not the inheritance of glacial refuges, but the consequence of a more recent post‐glacial isolation. The transition between the European and Asian groups is located eastwards from the Marmara straits, undermining its claimed role as an efficient barrier but stressing the importance of climatic and vegetational factors. A secondary differentiation between populations from the Central Black Sea coast and Easternmost regions was evidenced, attributed to a complex interplay of climatic, topographic, anthropogenic, and ecological factors. Turkey, at the crossroad of European and Asian species, heavily impacted by the current global change including climatic and anthropogenic factors, appears of importance for understanding the historical dynamics of differentiation and exchanges between populations that shaped the current distribution of Eurasian species and their future survival. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 107 , 611–623.     

External factors controlling annual testosterone and thyroxine cycles in the edible dormouse Glis glis

Annual patterns of hibernation, body weight, plasma testosterone and thyroxine were measured in two groups of edible dormice exposed to a constant photoperiod and to either environmental temperature (I), the four functions displayed annual cycles and the two hormonal cycles were parallel and restricted to the aroused state, while in group II only irregular infradian fluctuations were observed. However, a body temperature of 30 degrees C remained the critical lower limit enabling the start of the testosterone cycles for the two groups. Respective roles of endogenous and synchronizing mechanisms in controlling biological rhythms are discussed.     

Insulin secretion in the hibernating edible dormouse (Glis glis): in vivo and in vitro studies

Plasma glucose and insulin have been studied during lethargy and spontaneous arousal of hibernating edible dormouse. During lethargy blood glucose was low while plasma insulin remained at the same level as in other seasons. Plasma glucose and insulin did not fluctuate along the phase of lethargy. During spontaneous arousal plasma insulin rose strongly from the 17 degrees C stage, reaching the higher values at 26 degrees C while blood glucose was only 85 mg/100 ml, then decreased at 37 degrees C. The effect of glucose and temperature on insulin secretion was studied using perfused pancreas preparation from hibernating edible dormice. During the rewarming of the edible dormouse pancreas the insulin release did not occur in response to the absolute extracellular glucose level but occurred in response to a B cell membrane phenomenon which was dependent on the changing rate of glucose level. The effect of glucose and temperature on insulin secretion from perfused pancreas was compared between edible dormouse and homeotherm permanent, the rat. The B cell response to glucose of the dormouse pancreas increased up to 15 degrees C whereas that of the rat only from 25 degrees C. The dormouse insulin secretion reached a peak value at the 30 degrees C of temperature, whereas that of the rat progressively increased until 37 degrees C. These results showed that some biochemical adjustment or process of acclimatization took place in the B cells of the hibernators.     

Energetic constraints on sexual activity in the male edible dormouse (Glis glis)

The aim of this study was to examine to what extent reproductive activity in male edible dormice (Glis glis) might be energetically constrained. Demographic data, morphometric data, and oral body temperature (T _or) measurements were collected in two study areas between 1993 and 2002 in southwest Germany and combined with subcutaneous body temperature (T _sc) registrations of captive dormice. T _sc measurements were collected directly after emergence from hibernation (June) until the end of the mating season (July). Wild edible dormice showed strong fluctuations in their reproductive output between years. Not all males were sexually active each year and the number of litters born was positively correlated with the number of sexually active males, which suggests that sexual activity in males is constrained and in turn limits reproductive success. A comparison of the T _or of sexually quiescent and active males revealed that sexually quiescent males had significantly lower T _or (median: 28.8°C; 25/75% quartiles: 16.4/31.0; n=31) than sexually active males (median: 34.2°C; 25/75% quartiles: 32.0/35.6; n=156). Body condition of sexually active and quiescent males was not different after emergence from hibernation. However, sexually active males showed a significant reduction in their body condition between June and July, the time of mating, while body condition of sexually quiescent males remained constant. Continuous T _sc registrations in captive sexually active male dormice showed strong circadian T _sc fluctuations. Even though daily torpor bouts with T _sc below 20°C occurred in these males, most of the time T _sc fluctuated above 30°C, which is known as the critical body temperature threshold above which testes maturation can take place in this species. These results demonstrate that male dormice incur high costs due to sexual activity and that thermoregulation is determined by a trade-off between energetic savings and reproductive activity.     

Further demonstration of the ambient temperature dependence of the annual biological cycles in the edible dormouse,Glis glis

Summary In the male edible dormouse, it has been proposed that the annual temperature cycle is the major external factor triggering annual biological rhythms in this hibernating species. The present study was designed to explore (i) the effects of suppression of the annual thermoperiodic cycle under natural photoperiodic conditions, and (ii) the effects of acute exposure to a warm environment on basal plasma T4 levels observed during hibernation. The results of the first experiment demonstrate an absence of circannual cycles of hibernation, body weight, and endocrine thyroid and gonadal functions in the absence of annual fluctuations of temperature (constant warm environment at 24°C) despite the maintenance of a normal photoperiodic cycle. On the other hand, acute exposure to 24°C during the late stage of hibernation stimulated thyroid function as expressed by a consistent transitory rise in plasma T4 concentrations, which was maximal within 7 days and restored to basal levels after 14 days. These findings are in close agreement with the concept that in the edible dormouse, the annual thyroid cycle is synchronized with the annual temperature cycle. Moreover, the present study, combined with prior data indicating that the thyroid cycle induces the testis cycle, suggests that the ambient temperature cycle may be intricately involved in the control of neuroendocrine cycles in dormice, although the mechanism is still unknown.     

Large-scale climatic signatures in lakes across Europe: a meta-analysis

Recent studies have highlighted the impact of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on water temperature, ice conditions, and spring plankton phenology in specific lakes and regions in Europe. Here, we use meta-analysis techniques to test whether 18 lakes in northern, western, and central Europe respond coherently to winter climate forcing, and to assess the persistence of the winter climate signal in physical, chemical, and biological variables during the year. A meta-analysis approach was chosen because we wished to emphasize the overall coherence pattern rather than individual lake responses. A particular strength of our approach is that time-series from each of the 18 lakes were subjected to the same robust statistical analysis covering the same 23-year period. Although the strongest overall coherence in response to the winter NAO was exhibited by lake water temperatures, a strong, coherent response was also exhibited by concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus and soluble reactive silicate, most likely as a result of the coherent response exhibited by the spring phytoplankton bloom. Lake nitrate concentrations showed significant coherence in winter. With the exception of the cyanobacterial biomass in summer, phytoplankton biomass in all seasons was unrelated to the winter NAO. A strong coherence in the abundance of daphnids during spring can most likely be attributed to coherence in daphnid phenology. A strong coherence in the summer abundance of the cyclopoid copepods may have been related to a coherent change in their emergence from resting stages. We discuss the complex nature of the potential mechanisms that drive the observed changes.     

Age determination and age structure in the edible dormouse Glis glis based on incremental bone lines

1. Absolute age was estimated from incremental bone layers of the mandible in 109 edible dormice Glis glis collected between May and September 1997 in mixed beech and fir forests of central Slovenia. 2. Mandible cross-sections of juveniles obtained in September showed a great number of vascular canals and no resting lines. In the remaining animals (n = 81), the number of resting lines varied between one and seven, with two or three lines being the most common condition (62% of specimens). Among these adult animals, which hibernated at least once, females attained higher mean (3.3 years) and maximum age (7 years) than males (mean = 2.2, maximum = 6 years). 3. The frequency distribution of age classes suggested unequal reproductive success between years but there was no indication of any lack of litters in years of low mast production.     

Influence of population density and reproduction on space use and spatial relations in the edible dormouse

Food resources and population density are key factors influencing spatiosocial organisation. We compared the space use of two dormiceGlis glis (Linnaeus, 1766) populations differing in density, one high and the other low, in a breeding year 2002 (when trees masted) and in a non-breeding year 2001 (with reproductive failure and a total lack of mast). In the low-density population males always had larger home ranges and travelled longer distances than females. In the high-density population such differences between sexes became significant only in the breeding year. Home ranges and distances travelled each night were larger in the low-density population, but only for males.