Seasonality of daily surface activity patterns on a subterranean rodent, the tuco-tuco

• Grant number: 16/25058-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Compared Physiology
• Acordo de Cooperação: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Gisele Akemi Oda
• Grantee: Milene Gomes Jannetti
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Biological rhythms that persist in artificial constant conditions are endogenous and their daily synchronization requires that the organism exposes itself to terrestrial environmental cycles. Subterranean rodents from species Ctenomys aff. knighti (tuco-tucos) have been studied by our group due to the fact that they live in an environment without light/dark cycles. Previous studies made in semi-natural environment revealed, however, that tuco-tucos emerge to the surface during the day, in order to forage and remove dirt from their burrows. Interestingly, records of the daily temporal pattern of light exposure of these animals in nature showed there were seasonal variation on the time of the day at which the individuals emerged to the surface and also suggested that this variation would be correlated to daily variations of environmental temperature. The purpose of this work is to verify the contribution of endogenous and exogenous factors on the occurrence of the seasonal variation observed on the daily rhythms of surface activity of tuco-tucos. In order to do that, the daily activity rhythm of the tuco-tucos will be recorded throughout the year in semi-natural environment and in laboratory, where the animals will be exposed to natural photoperiod. Additionally, animals will be released into constant darkness at several phases of the year, to get preliminary indication of an endogenous seasonal contribution. Finally, correlational analysis will provide the direct contribution of environmental cycles on the seasonal patterns. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

JANNETTI, MILENE G.; BUCK, C. LOREN; VALENTINUZZI, VERONICA S.; ODA, GISELE A.. Day and night in the subterranean: measuring daily activity patterns of subterranean rodents (Ctenomys aff. knighti) using bio-logging. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY, v. 7, JUL 19 2019. (16/25058-0, 14/09324-6, 14/20671-0, 17/19680-2)

FLORES, DANILO E. F. L.; JANNETTI, MILENE G.; IMPROTA, GIOVANE C.; TACHINARDI, PATRICIA; VALENTINUZZI, VERONICA S.; ODA, GISELE A.. Telling the Seasons Underground: The Circadian Clock and Ambient Temperature Shape Light Exposure and Photoperiodism in a Subterranean Rodent. FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY, v. 12, OCT 1 2021. (17/16242-4, 10/03565-0, 19/26752-5, 16/25968-6, 17/19680-2, 16/25058-0, 17/22973-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

JANNETTI, Milene Gomes. Seasonality of daily surface activity patterns in a subterranean rodent, the tuco-tuco. 2018. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) São Paulo.