Research Lines
Our research is grounded in Ecological Physiology, Behavioral Ecology, and Ecoimmunology, using the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum (tuco-tuco) as a model species. We focus on understanding how environmental challenges, both natural and anthropogenic, shape the integrated physiological and behavioral phenotype of a wild mammal. To this end, we conduct comprehensive assessments using multiple biomarkers of energy balance, water balance, stress, nutritional and immune condition, as well as behavioral measures.
Based on this model, we have developed several complementary research lines.
Stress physiology
We study antipredator responses and activation of the stress axis, evaluating how individuals perceive and respond to chemical cues from predators and the consequences for anxiety-related and feeding behavior, as well as glucocorticoid mobilization. We also investigate prenatal and maternal predation stress and its effects on maternal behavior and offspring development.
Closely related to this research, a second line focuses on cognition, particularly learning and spatial memory. We examine the modulation of orientation abilities and spatial memory in a subterranean environment as a function of factors such as exposure to predator cues, food restriction, immune challenges, and navigation experience.
Ecoimmunology and functional trade-offs
We investigate immune mechanisms in response to infections, assessing their energetic, nutritional, and oxidative damage costs, as well as the trade-offs that occur among different organismal functions, such as reproduction and growth, under different ecological contexts. We evaluate several immune responses, including adaptive, cellular, and acute-phase responses, using simulated infections. We also examine the role of factors such as genetic variability (MHC), parasite coinfections, nutritional status, and environmental temperature in determining individual immune competence.
Personality and coping strategies
We characterize different behavioral types (animal personality) and their relationships with physiological mechanisms, including energy metabolism, immune responses, and sex hormones, as well as basal glucocorticoid levels and glucocorticoid activation in response to stress (coping strategies).
Anthropogenic impacts and global change
We assess the effects of urbanization on physiological stress responses, anxiety-related behavior, and spatial cognitive abilities. This information contributes to evaluating the conservation status of species and designing more effective management and protection strategies, particularly in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures. We also investigate the effects of changes in environmental temperature on immune responses, energy metabolism, and water balance.