Developmental and acclimatory contributions to water loss in a desert rodent: investigating the time course of adaptive change.

Understanding the evolution of physiological traits requires considering three nonexclusive mechanisms that underlie phenotypes and cause their change over different time scales: acclimation, developmental plasticity, and natural selection for genetically fixed traits. Physiological adjustments to changes in the desiccating potential of the environment were investigated with one subspecies of common desert rodent, Dipodomys merriami merriami (Merriam's kangaroo rat). We raised young whose parents originated from environments that differ in both temperature and humidity. These young were raised under either desiccating or water-abundant conditions, and their water loss was measured at a series of temperatures to determine the effect developmental conditions have on resistance to desiccation. We then determined the contribution of acclimation to desiccation resistance by keeping the differentially raised young in conditions opposite to those during their development and again measuring water loss. We found that developmental plasticity and acclimation can completely account for the existing intraspecific variability in desiccation resistance under certain conditions. In fact, developmental and acclimatory changes can equal genetically based differences of the populations. This phenotypic plasticity can operate relatively quickly and therefore may attenuate the actions of natural selection. Understanding the extent and nature of such flexibility is critical to our understanding intraspecific variability and the consequences of changing climate.

Auditory systems of Heteromyidae: postnatal development of the ear of Dipodomys merriami.

Serial histological sections of kangaroo rats of postnatal ages 0-, 3-, 7-, 10-, and 14-days were prepared and studied. At birth the middle ear is mostly filled with mesenchyme and small in size, having only a small hypotympanum and a very small epitympanic recess. During the first postnatal two weeks, much of the hypertrophy found in the adult middle ear develops. Because an entotympanic element is nev er formed, the previously called entotympanic chamber is here renamed the hypotympanum. The epitympanic recess greatly expands to form what has been called the dorsal (or anterior) mastoid sinus. Since this chamber has no relation to the mastoid, it is here renamed the epitympanum. Posteriorly, the previously called posterior mastoid sinus develops from the growth of the hypotympanum into and beyond the region of the posterior and horizontal semicircular canals. In development and adult position it is comparable to the primate antrum and so is here renamed the antrum. At birth the organ of Corti is very immature but its major cell types can be identified. During the first two weeks of development the following events occur: (1) the vas spirale disappears, (2) the inner spiral sulcus cells atrophy, (3) the hair cells and supporting cells mature, (4) the cells of Hensen differentiate with their apical processes elevating the reticular lamina, (5) the innermost cell of Claudius migrates under and supports the Hensen's cells, and (6) the hyaline mass of the zona pectinata of the basilar membrane loses its connective tissue cells and expands in size. The developmental events support the previous description and identification of Hensen's and Claudius' cells.