Browsing by Author "Rivera-Hutinel, A"

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    Coping with salt without salt glands
    (2004) Sabat, P; Maldonado, K; Rivera-Hutinel, A; Farfan, G
    We investigated the phenotypic plasticity of renal function in three South American coastal passerine Cinclodes (ovenbirds) differing in the proportion of marine prey they consume. Individuals were acclimated to two regimes of salinity for 15 days, and then the maximal urine-concentrating ability (U-max), hematological parameters and kidney morphology of each species were determined. The proportion of kidney mass occupied by medullary tissue, the number of medullary cones in the kidneys, plasma osmolality and U-max differed among the three species, supporting the hypothesis of an adaptation for excretion of the high salt load in the strictly marine C. nigrofumosus. Our results indicate that species of Cinclodes are able to modify the proportion of medullary tissue and the U-max. In addition, we found interspecific differences in the magnitude to which these osmoregulatory parameters can be modified. The greater ability to modify the osmoregulatory features in the migrant species C. oustaleti may enable it to cope with seasonal changes in salt load imposed by the winter consumption of hypertonic prey.
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    Intraspecific differences in metabolic rate of Chroeomys olivaceus (Rodentia: Muridae)
    (2005) Novoa, FF; Rivera-Hutinel, A; Rosenmann, M; Sabat, P
    Studies of metabolic capacities in rodents have been largely Studied at an inter-specific levels, but physiological capacities of populations belonging to the same species have received lesser attention. Here we studied the maximum and basal metabolic rates Of two Populations of the rodent Chroeomys olivaceus dwelling in habitats with contrasting temperature and rainfall regimes, and to test if differences ill metabolic capacities are due to local adaptation or acclimatization effect. After four weeks of acclimation to 25 and 10 degrees C, the BMR arid MMR were determined in individuals from the northern population of Caleta Loa, and the southern population of La Picada. Individuals front 'La Picada' Population were heavier than those from Caleta Loa. MMR and BMR exhibited higher values in cold acclimated animals compared with warm-acclimated animals. Besides, BMR, but not MMR, was lower in Caleta Loa individuals, in spite of the acclimation treatment. Hence, the differences in the metabolic capacities and the response to acclimation of C. olivaceus populations appear to be an evolutionary response to the environmental cues.