This chapter assesses long-term physiological responses in field urine osmolality (Uosm) of four murid rodents from semi-arid Chile, as a function of the El Niño Southern Oscillation. It observes that all of the rodent species studied showed important temporal fluctuations in their Uosm-values, indicating both seasonal and annual patterns of physiological variability characterized by high Uosm-values during the Austral spring–summer and low Uosm-values during autumn–winter. The chapter further observes significant effects of year and season on Uosm-values, with a year x season interaction. It demonstrates how flexibility of physiological mechanisms allows small mammals in arid or semi-arid regions to cope with long-term seasonal and annual water variability in their semi-arid habitat. The chapter notes that the trends of seasonal water balance during contrasting years (i.e., El Niño vs. dry years) is likely to be a consequence of plant cover, since this is the principal food and water source of rodents at Fray Jorge.

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 in metabolic capacities are due to local adaptation or acclimatization effect. After four weeks of acclimation to 25 ºC and 10 ºC, the BMR and MMR were determined in individuals from the northern population of Caleta Loa, and the southern population of La Picada. Individuals from ‘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 cuesLas capacidades metabólicas en roedores han sido ampliamente estudiadas en un nivel ínterespecífico, pero los atributos fisiológicos de las poblaciones que pertenecen a una misma especie, han recibido menos atención. Aquí estudiamos las tasas metabólicas máximas y basales de dos poblaciones del roedor Chroeomys olivaceus que viven en habitats con temperaturas y regímenes de precipitaciones contrastantes y se analiza si las diferencias en las capacidades metabólicas se deben a diferenciación local o a efectos de aclimatación. Después de cuatro semanas de aclimatación a 25 ºC y 10 ºC, el BMR y MMR fueron determinados en individuos de la población norteña de Caleta Loa y en la población sureña de "La Picada". Los individuos de la población "La Picada" presentaron mayor masa corporal que los de Caleta Loa. Los valores de MMR y BMR fueron más altos en animales aclimatados al frío, comparados con los aclimatados a temperaturas más cálidas. Asimismo, sólo BMR y no MMR, fue más bajo en los individuos de Caleta Loa, a pesar del tratamiento de aclimatación. Por lo tanto, las diferencias en las capacidades metabólicas y en la respuesta a la aclimatación de las poblaciones de C. olivaceus, parecen ser una respuesta evolutiva a las claves ambientales

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 in metabolic capacities are due to local adaptation or acclimatization effect. After four weeks of acclimation to 25 and 10 oC, the BMR and MMR were determined in individuals from the northern population of Caleta Loa, and the southern population of La Picada. Individuals from ‘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.

We studied structure and function of the respiratory system in the bat Tadarida brasiliensis and compared it with those of two species of rodents, Abrothrix andinus and A. olivaceus. Tadarida brasiliensis had lower resting oxygen consumption, but higher maximum oxygen consumption and aerobic scope, than the rodents. The blood-gas barrier of the bat was thinner and its relative lung size was larger; however, alveolar surface density was similar among the three species. In consequence, T. brasiliensis has an oxygen diffusion capacity two or three times higher than that of the rodents. In Tadarida brasiliensis the characteristics of the lung were accompanied by geometrical changes in the proximal airway, such as high physical optimization as a consequence of small variations in the symmetry and the scaling ratio of the bronchial diameters. These may constitute an efficient way to save energy in respiratory mechanics and are the first report of airway adjustments to decrease entropy generation in bats.

In this paper we develop a method to estimate lung volume using chest x-rays of small mammals. We applied this method to assess the lung volume of several rodents. We showed that a good estimator of the lung volume is: V*L = 0.496 x VRX approximately equal to 1/2 x VRX, where VRX is a measurement obtained from the x-ray that represents the volume of a rectangular box containing the lungs and mediastinum organs. The proposed formula may be interpreted as the volume of an ellipsoid formed by both lungs joined at their bases. When that relationship was used to estimate lung volume, values similar to those expected from allometric relationship were found in four rodents. In two others, M. musculus and R. norvegicus, lung volume was similar to reported data, although values were lower than expected.

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.

In this paper we Studied the energetics and thermoregulation of the Chilean mouse-opossum Thylamys elegans (Dielphidae) a nocturnal small marsupial, endemic Of Southern South America. We Studied their standard energetic and determined whether they exhibit shallow daily torpor or deep prolonged torpor as a function of ambient temperature and food availability. Thylamys elegans partially supports the hypothesis that Neotropical marsupials have somewhat a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) and thermal conductance (C-m) than Australian Ones. In fact, BMR was higher but C-m was lower than expected for their body mass, The higher mass-independent BMR of the Chilean mouse-opossum may be explained by its insectivorous food habits and its low C-m by its temperate habitats. Euthermic Chilean mouse-opossum showed daily fluctuations in body temperature being significantly hi-her during night time. In addition T. elegans entered in daily torpor and aroused spontaneously only was food was absent. That is, this species display a facultative type of daily torpor because propensity to enter in torpor was dependent of the combination of food absence and low ambient temperature. No torpor was observed when food was available. During torpor ambient temperature was slightly above ambient temperature between 0.3 to 0.5 degrees C. Torpor in this species as well as in marsupials in general. appears to be a flexible and an opportunistic response to unpredictable environmental conditions.

The design of the bronchial tree has largely been proposed as a model of optimal design from a physical-functional perspective. However, the distributive function of the airway may be more related to a geometrical than a physical problem. The bronchial tree must distribute a three dimensional volume of inspired air on a two dimensional alveolar surface, included in a limited volume. It is thus valid to ask whether an optimal bronchial tree from a physical perspective is also optimum from a geometrical point of view.

We examined the energetics of the living fossil microbiotheriid Dromiciops gliroides, a nocturnal and rare small marsupial, endemic to the northern portion of the temperate forest of southern South America. We investigated the effects of changes at ambient temperature and food restriction on the energetics and patterns of torpor. We determined whether they exhibit shallow daily torpor or deep prolonged torpor like some Australian marsupials. Thermal conductance was 92.5% of the expected value for a similarly sized eutherian and basal metabolic rate was 82.9 and 58.6% of the predicted value for standard metatherians and eutherians, respectively. Euthermic D. gliroides showed daily fluctuations in body temperature, being significantly higher during the night. Dromiciops gliroides entered torpor and aroused spontaneously. The duration of torpor bouts increased in response to decreasing ambient temperature; torpor bout duration ranged from 10 h at 20 degrees C to 120 h at 12.5 degrees C. This study is the first record of deep torpor or hibernation for a South American mammal. Torpor in this species as well as in marsupials in general appears to be an opportunistic response to unpredictable biotic and abiotic conditions.

Seasonal hematological adjustments in small mammals may include changes in the number and size of the red cells or changes in other linked blood parameters. The direction and magnitude of these changes vary in different species. We hypothesized that the observed variations of the red cell adjustments could be directly related to the magnitude of the seasonal temperature differential, and predicted that the annual red cell size variation in rodents from environments with marked seasonal changes would tend to disappear, if the animals were raised under milder and constant environments. To test this idea, we got field blood samples from the Andean species Phyllotis xanthopygus rupestris enduring a winter–summer thermal differential of at least 20 °C. These animals had significantly smaller erythrocytes during the winter. Contrary to our prediction, their offspring born and raised under constant temperature conditions showed a similar trend. Unless the effective environmental cue differed from the one we used, these results favor the idea of a genetically determined annual red cell size variation that occurs independent of thermal acclimation and acclimatization.

Chinchilla brevicaudata lives at 3500–5000m, with high ambient temperatures during the day but cold at night. In this Andean habitat there is also low availability of food and water resources. Physiological attributes that may minimize their energetic cost as well as the water requirements are: (1) Low values of basal metabolic rate (67.2%) and thermal conductance (51.0%) compared to predicted values. (2) The aerobic metabolic expansivity was 5.1, while the calculated theoretical critical lethal temperature was extremely low (−67.8°C). (3) The energetic cost for maintenance of water balance was 85.3% of the predicted value for xeric rodents of similar size.

La vía aérea ha sido propuesta como modelo de diseño óptimo desde una perspectiva física. Su diseño se ha asociado con un adecuado flujo de gases a los alvéolos, una mínima producción de entropía y un mínimo costo en materia y energía. Se ha propuesto un decrecimiento exponencial del diámetro de los bronquios (dG) en función de la generación: dG = do·2-G/3, asociado a una mínima producción de entropía. También se ha propuesto un modelo de renormalización: dG = An·G-u donde u es un exponente y An una función que introduce desviaciones periódicas en la escala, es decir más de una escala, evitando la propagación distal de errores aleatorios en el calibre de un bronquio. Sin embargo, este último resultado podría ser consecuencia en árboles asimétricos de la relación entre el diámetro y el orden del bronquio y no de la generación. En este trabajo estudiamos la asimetría y el decrecimiento del diámetro bronquial en dos especies. Se utiliza el modelo de Zamir como un sistema externo de medida de la optimización. Encontramos una clara asimetría del árbol bronquial. Comprobamos que la relación exponencial diámetro-orden es siempre muy buena (R² ³ 0,8) y que en cambio la relación exponencial diámetro-generación es menos clara (R² < 0,6). La supuesta modulación armónica desaparece al considerar el orden y no la generación. Se determina un alto grado de optimización de la estructura en las dos especiesFrom a physical perspective, the air way has been proposed as a model of optimal design. Its design has been associated with a optimal gases flow to the alveoli, a minimum entropy production and minimal costs of mass and energy. The decrease of the bronchial diameter (dG) along the airway has been modeled by (i) an exponential decay of the bronchial diameter (dG) as function of its generation: dG = do·2-G/3, associated to a minimum entropy production, and (ii) a renormalization model: dG = An·G-u where u is an exponent and An an harmonic function which introduces periodic variations in the scale, buffering the propagation of stochastic errors in the bronchial diameter. However, that the last result in asymmetric trees may be a consequence of a real relationship between diameter and order more than a relationship diameter-generation. In this work we explore this hypothesis in two species. We also use the Zamir model for vascular trees as an out method to explore the optimality degree of the bronchial ramification. We found a clear asymmetry of the analyzed bronchial trees. We shown that the relationship diameter-order is always very good (R² ³ 0,8). In contrast, the determination coefficients for the relationship diameter-generation were lower (R² < 0,6). The proposed harmonic modulation vanishes when changing generation by order. There were a high optimality degree of the bronchial junctions

We studied the departure from the physical optimality of the bronchial tree of rats using both i) the minimum volume and power and ii) the minimum surface and drag criteria, considering the bronchial junction as the unit study based on Zamir's model for vascular trees. Our results show deviations of the junctions of the bronchial tree from the expected optimums in the proximal airway that can be explained by both, the turbulent or transitional flow regime, and the airway's necessity to distribute its terminal branches in the alveolar surface filling the thoracic volume. The departures of the observed values at the optimum for the minimum volume and power were significantly different than the obtained departure values for the minimum surface and drag criteria. The departure from the optimum was directly related to the diameter of the smallest branch. The slopes of the regressions for the two criteria were different. The regression lines intercept at a bronchial diameter d2 = 0.129 mm. This result agreed with the idea that the tube diameter is limited at small values by the increasing flow resistance with decreasing tube diameter while at large values is limited by the increasing tube volume and dead space with increasing tube diameter.

Allometry of haematological parameters (haematocrit, erythrocyte number, mean cell volume and haemoglobin concentration) of Basilichthys australis, suggested that small individuals and juveniles had larger red blood cells, less haemoglobin per volume of blood, and more diluted plasma than large and mature animals.

A number of wild bird species have fortuitously incorporated themselves into urban life. One of these, the Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis), dwells with seemingly similar success in urban and rural areas. Nevertheless, we found that urban Rufous-collared Sparrows have lower body weight, higher blood glucose concentration, higher proportion of heterophils (H), lower proportion of lymphocytes (L), and consequently, a larger H:L stress index, than rural ones. After two weeks of captivity rural birds developed blood characteristics that resembled those of urban birds. These indices reveal typical primary (acute), and secondary (chronic) stress characteristics in the urban birds.

From a physical perspective, the air way has been proposed as a model of optimal design. Its design has been associated with a optimal gases flow to the alveoli, a minimum entropy production and minimal costs of mass and energy. The decrease of the bronchial diameter (d(G)) along the airway has been modeled by (i) an exponential decay of the bronchial diameter (d(G)) as function of its generation: d(G) = do.2(.G/3), associated to a minimum entropy production, and (ii) a renormalization model: d(G) = A(n).G(-0) where u is an exponent and A(n) an harmonic function which introduces periodic variations in the scale, buffering the propagation of stochastic errors in the bronchial diameter. However, that the last result in asymmetric trees may be a consequence of a real relationship between diameter and order more than a relationship diameter-generation. In this work we explore this hypothesis in two species. We also use the Zamir model for vascular trees as an out method to explore the optimality degree of the bronchial ramification. We found a clear asymmetry of the analyzed bronchial trees. We shown that the relationship diameter-order is always very good (R-2 approximate to 0.8). In contrast, the determination coefficients for the relationship diameter-generation were lower (R-2 < 0,6). The proposed harmonic modulation vanishes when changing generation by order. There were a high optimality degree of the bronchial junctions.

(1) The aim of this study was to understand the effects of thermal history in metabolic features such as maximum (MMR) and basal (BMR) metabolic rates, as well as in metabolic plasticity, considered as the total variation of MMR and BMR during the acclimation period. (2) We studied three species of the genus Phyllotis, from different thermal environments, in an altitudinal gradient from sea level to 3800m.a.s.l. Animals were acclimated to contrasting temperatures of 5 and 30 degrees C. To determine the metabolic flexibility, MMR was measured at intervals of 6 days during the acclimation period, while BMR values were obtained at the end of acclimations. Aerobic scope and the rates of change of MMR were estimated in all populations. (3) High- and low-altitude rodents did not show differences in BMR. However, both upper and lower limits of MMR, as well as aerobic scope, were significantly different between high- and low-altitude species, indicating similar ranges of metabolic plasticity. On the other hand, the rates of change of MMR were similar in all populations. (4) Our results indicate that thermal history has a profound effect on the individuals' thermogenic capacity, probably in both phylogenetic and ontogenetic levels. Low-altitude species could not increase MMR to the same levels as high-altitude species, while the later were unable to decrease MMR to achieve the values of the low-altitude species.

Chinchilla lanigera, es un roedor endemico de Chile que habita areas deserticas del norte de Chile. Postulamos que C. lanigera (silvestre) por habitar en ambientes con escasa disponibilidad de alimento y agua, debiera poseer atributos fisiologicos que minimicen los requerimientos (costos) de energia y agua. Se evaluo el metabolismo energetico en atmosferas de aire y He-O2, la perdida de agua por evaporacion (EWL) y temperatura corporal (Tb) a diferentes temperaturas ambientales (Ta). Los resultados mas relevantes muestran que la tasa metabolica basal (BMR) fue 0,66 mlO2/g h y la conductancia termica (C) de 0,0376 mlO2/g h°C; valores que corresponden al 80,4% y 72,5% de la magnitud predicha para un mamifero euterio de similar tamano corporal, respectivamente. La conductancia termica en atmosfera He-O2 fue 0,089 mlO2/g h°C, siendo la razon CHe-O2 /C = 0,089/0,038 = 2,34, el valor mas alto descrito para roedores. Esto indicaria que C. lanigera, poseeria la aislacion termica mas alta documentada a la fecha. Ademas, la evaporacion pulmocutanea (EWL) equivale al 95% del valor esperado para heteromidos. Chinchilla lanigera presenta una clara relacion de costo-beneficio y/o compromisos en su capacidad de termorregulacion. En efecto, los bajos valores de C y EWL implican costos de termorregulacion a altas temperaturas (riesgo de hipertermia), particularmente cuando su habitat desertico alcanza temperaturas ž 30°C. A la vez, estos bajos valores de C, EWL y BMR constituyen beneficios fisiologicos que favorecen la economia de energia y agua en un habitat que es xerico y poco productivo