Journal of Stress Physiology &
Biochemistry, Vol. 9 No. 1
2013, pp. 35-45 ISSN 1997-0838
Original Text Copyright (cc) 2013 by Zhu, Yang, Zhang and Wang
ORIGINAL
ARTICLE
Data source : Google Scholar
QueryDate : 2016-12-24
Cites : 1
Effects of Gradient
Photoperiod and Temperature on Energy Metabolism and Body Composition
in Tupaia belangeri chinensis
Zhu Wanlong&, Yang
Shengchang&, Zhang Lin, Wang Zheng-kun *
Institute of Zoology, School of life Science of Yunnan Normal
University, Kunming 650092, China & Wanlong Zhu and Shengchang Yang contributed equally to
this work
In order to explore the adaptive
changes in energy metabolism and body composition in response to a
gradual reduction in both ambient temperature and photoperiod, male
adult tree shrews Tupaia belangeri
chinensis were raised under the conditions of 30 oC
and 12L:12D photoperiod (control group). The treatment group was
changed from 25 oC and 16L:8D photoperiod to 5 oC
and 8L:16D photoperiod (treatment group) over a period of four weeks
and then maintained at those conditions for a further 4 weeks. Changes
in body mass, resting metabolic rates (RMR),energy intake, and wet and
dry mass of organs and tissues were measured at the end of the
acclimation. Body mass in treatment tree shrews was higher than
control. RMR showed significant differences between groups. No
significant differences were detected in dry matter intake, energy
intake, and digestible energy intake in control tree shrews during the
whole acclimation period, while these parameters were significantly
increased within treatment tree shrews at the end of acclimation, and
were significantly higher than those in control tree shrews. Small
intestine and stomach dry mass, as well as the wet mass of small
intestine, heart, lung, liver and kidney were significantly higher in
treatment groups than in controls, but no significant differences were
found in the mass of other organs and tissues. These results suggest
that increasing body mass and energy intake, together with adjusting
the mass of some organs and tissues, are important physiological
changes in tree shrews to adapt the changing environmental conditions.
Key
words: Tupaia belangeri chinensis; Body composition;
Energy metabolism
