The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression

Biological investments, such as reproduction, are influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors and their interactions. The trade-off between reproduction and survival has been well established. Seasonally breeding species, therefore, may exhibit variations in these trade-offs, but there is a dearth...

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Autores principales:	Paul Juan Jacobs, Daniel William Hart, Tobias Suess, Andries Koch Janse van Vuuren, Nigel Charles Bennett
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	oxidative stress redox balance mole-rat cooperative breeder seasonal reproductive suppression Physiology QP1-981
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/78ff777222a84060823efa0f66dfec24
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:78ff777222a84060823efa0f66dfec242021-11-19T07:01:23ZThe Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression1664-042X10.3389/fphys.2021.780490https://doaj.org/article/78ff777222a84060823efa0f66dfec242021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.780490/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/1664-042XBiological investments, such as reproduction, are influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors and their interactions. The trade-off between reproduction and survival has been well established. Seasonally breeding species, therefore, may exhibit variations in these trade-offs, but there is a dearth of knowledge concerning this. This study investigated the physiological cost of reproduction (measured through oxidative stress) across seasons in the cooperatively breeding highveld mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae), one of the few seasonal breeding mole-rats. Oxidative stress indicates elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which can overwhelm antioxidant defences resulting in damaged proteins, lipids and DNA, which overall can reduce longevity and compromise reproduction. Oxidative markers such as total oxidant status (TOS-measure of total peroxides present), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), and malondialdehyde (MDA) are utilised to measure oxidative stress. In this study, breeding and non-breeding male (NBM) and female mole-rats were captured during the dry season (breeding period) and wet season (non-breeding period). There was an apparent cost of reproduction in the highveld mole-rat; however, the seasonality pattern to the cost of reproduction varied between the sexes. Breeding females (BFs) had significantly higher MDA during the breeding period/dry season in comparison to the non-breeding period/wet season; this is possibly a consequence of bearing and nursing offspring. Contrastingly, breeding males (BMs) showed increased oxidative damage in the non-breeding/wet season compared to the breeding/dry season, possibly due to increased activities of protecting their mating rights for the next breeding/dry season, but this was not significant. Interestingly, during the non-breeding period/wet season, non-breeding females (NBFs) are released from their reproductive suppression, which resulted in increases in TOS and OSI, which again indicated that just the mere ability to be able to breed results in a cost (oxidative stress). Therefore we can speculate that highveld mole-rats exhibited seasonal variation in redox balance brought about by variation in abiotic variables (e.g., rainfall), physiology and behaviour. We conclude that physiological changes associated with reproduction are sufficient to induce significant acute oxidative stress in the plasma of female highveld mole-rats, which become alleviated following transition to the non-breeding season/wet period suggesting a possible hormetic effect.Paul Juan JacobsDaniel William HartTobias SuessAndries Koch Janse van VuurenNigel Charles BennettFrontiers Media S.A.articleoxidative stressredox balancemole-ratcooperative breederseasonalreproductive suppressionPhysiologyQP1-981ENFrontiers in Physiology, Vol 12 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	oxidative stress redox balance mole-rat cooperative breeder seasonal reproductive suppression Physiology QP1-981
spellingShingle	oxidative stress redox balance mole-rat cooperative breeder seasonal reproductive suppression Physiology QP1-981 Paul Juan Jacobs Daniel William Hart Tobias Suess Andries Koch Janse van Vuuren Nigel Charles Bennett The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression
description	Biological investments, such as reproduction, are influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors and their interactions. The trade-off between reproduction and survival has been well established. Seasonally breeding species, therefore, may exhibit variations in these trade-offs, but there is a dearth of knowledge concerning this. This study investigated the physiological cost of reproduction (measured through oxidative stress) across seasons in the cooperatively breeding highveld mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae), one of the few seasonal breeding mole-rats. Oxidative stress indicates elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which can overwhelm antioxidant defences resulting in damaged proteins, lipids and DNA, which overall can reduce longevity and compromise reproduction. Oxidative markers such as total oxidant status (TOS-measure of total peroxides present), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), and malondialdehyde (MDA) are utilised to measure oxidative stress. In this study, breeding and non-breeding male (NBM) and female mole-rats were captured during the dry season (breeding period) and wet season (non-breeding period). There was an apparent cost of reproduction in the highveld mole-rat; however, the seasonality pattern to the cost of reproduction varied between the sexes. Breeding females (BFs) had significantly higher MDA during the breeding period/dry season in comparison to the non-breeding period/wet season; this is possibly a consequence of bearing and nursing offspring. Contrastingly, breeding males (BMs) showed increased oxidative damage in the non-breeding/wet season compared to the breeding/dry season, possibly due to increased activities of protecting their mating rights for the next breeding/dry season, but this was not significant. Interestingly, during the non-breeding period/wet season, non-breeding females (NBFs) are released from their reproductive suppression, which resulted in increases in TOS and OSI, which again indicated that just the mere ability to be able to breed results in a cost (oxidative stress). Therefore we can speculate that highveld mole-rats exhibited seasonal variation in redox balance brought about by variation in abiotic variables (e.g., rainfall), physiology and behaviour. We conclude that physiological changes associated with reproduction are sufficient to induce significant acute oxidative stress in the plasma of female highveld mole-rats, which become alleviated following transition to the non-breeding season/wet period suggesting a possible hormetic effect.
format	article
author	Paul Juan Jacobs Daniel William Hart Tobias Suess Andries Koch Janse van Vuuren Nigel Charles Bennett
author_facet	Paul Juan Jacobs Daniel William Hart Tobias Suess Andries Koch Janse van Vuuren Nigel Charles Bennett
author_sort	Paul Juan Jacobs
title	The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression
title_short	The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression
title_full	The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression
title_fullStr	The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression
title_full_unstemmed	The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression
title_sort	cost of reproduction in a cooperatively breeding mammal: consequences of seasonal variation in rainfall, reproduction, and reproductive suppression
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/78ff777222a84060823efa0f66dfec24
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The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression

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