1
|
Vejmělka F, Okrouhlík J, Lövy M, Šaffa G, Nevo E, Bennett NC, Šumbera R. Heat dissipation in subterranean rodents: the role of body region and social organisation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2029. [PMID: 33479351 PMCID: PMC7820455 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81404-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The relatively warm and very humid environment of burrows presents a challenge for thermoregulation of its mammalian inhabitants. It was found that African mole-rats dissipate body heat mainly through their venter, and social mole-rats dissipate more body heat compared to solitary species at lower temperatures. In addition, the pattern of the ventral surface temperature was suggested to be homogeneous in social mole-rats compared to a heterogeneous pattern in solitary mole-rats. To investigate this for subterranean rodents generally, we measured the surface temperatures of seven species with different degrees of sociality, phylogeny, and climate using infrared thermography. In all species, heat dissipation occurred mainly through the venter and the feet. Whereas the feet dissipated body heat at higher ambient temperatures and conserved it at lower ambient temperatures, the ventral surface temperature was relatively high in all temperatures indicating that heat dissipation to the environment through this body region is regulated mainly by behavioural means. Solitary species dissipated less heat through their dorsum than social species, and a tendency for this pattern was observed for the venter. The pattern of heterogeneity of surface temperature through the venter was not related to sociality of the various species. Our results demonstrate a general pattern of body heat exchange through the three studied body regions in subterranean rodents. Besides, isolated individuals of social species are less able to defend themselves against low ambient temperatures, which may handicap them if staying alone for a longer period, such as during and after dispersal events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- František Vejmělka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Okrouhlík
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Matěj Lövy
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Gabriel Šaffa
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Eviatar Nevo
- Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nigel Charles Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Radim Šumbera
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Marais A, Adams B, Ringsmuth AK, Ferretti M, Gruber JM, Hendrikx R, Schuld M, Smith SL, Sinayskiy I, Krüger TPJ, Petruccione F, van Grondelle R. The future of quantum biology. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20180640. [PMID: 30429265 PMCID: PMC6283985 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological systems are dynamical, constantly exchanging energy and matter with the environment in order to maintain the non-equilibrium state synonymous with living. Developments in observational techniques have allowed us to study biological dynamics on increasingly small scales. Such studies have revealed evidence of quantum mechanical effects, which cannot be accounted for by classical physics, in a range of biological processes. Quantum biology is the study of such processes, and here we provide an outline of the current state of the field, as well as insights into future directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Marais
- Quantum Research Group, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Betony Adams
- Quantum Research Group, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Andrew K Ringsmuth
- Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Marco Ferretti
- Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Michael Gruber
- Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud Hendrikx
- Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Schuld
- Quantum Research Group, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Samuel L Smith
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ilya Sinayskiy
- Quantum Research Group, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
- National Institute for Theoretical Physics, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Tjaart P J Krüger
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Francesco Petruccione
- Quantum Research Group, School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
- National Institute for Theoretical Physics, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|