ABSTRACT
Whether and how differences in environmental predictability affect life-history traits is controversial and may depend on mean environmental conditions. Solid evidence for effects of environmental predictability are lacking and thus, the consequences of the currently observed and forecasted climate-change induced reduction of precipitation predictability are largely unknown. Here we experimentally tested whether and how changes in the predictability of precipitation affect growth, reproduction, and survival of common lizard Zootoca vivipara. Precipitation predictability affected all three age classes. While adults were able to compensate the treatment effects, yearlings and juvenile females were not able to compensate negative effects of less predictable precipitation on growth and body condition, respectively. Differences among the age-classes' response reflect differences (among age-classes) in the sensitivity to environmental predictability. Moreover, effects of environmental predictability depended on mean environmental conditions. This indicates that integrating differences in environmental sensitivity, and changes in averages and the predictability of climatic variables will be key to understand whether species are able to cope with the current climatic change.
Subject(s)
Climate Change , Life History Traits , Lizards/physiology , Animals , Body Size/physiology , Forecasting , Reproduction/physiologyABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The premenopause period is that which precedes the actual menopause, when a decrease of the ovarian hormones is present, leading to cardiovascular diseases as arterial hypertension, acute myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular diseases. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the antihypertensive response of the estradiol-medroxyprogesterone, to reduce arterial pressure in the premenopausal patient. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a clinical trial from March 1997 to September 1998, 106 patients with systemic hypertension, symptoms hypoestrogenism and estradiol levels less than 30 pg/mL were evaluated. They were randomized at a trial in two groups with pursuit of 6 months. Group A: 53 with captopril, Group B: 53 with estradiol-medroxyprogesterone. The arterial pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and symptoms hypoestrogenism were analyzed before and after the treatment. The statistical analysis was performed with Student T. RESULTS: A decrease of arterial pressure was observed with estradiol, the same as with captopril with a p < 0.05. Decrease of cholesterol and triglycerides were more significant in the estradiol group with a p < 0.05. A bigger attenuation of symptoms of the hypoestrogenism existed in the estradiol group. CONCLUSIONS: The antihypertensive response with estradiol was the same as with captopril in the premenopausal patient with systemic hypertension.
