History

The Ecological and Behavioral Physiology Group was established in 2009, evolving from the Ecophysiology Group, led by Dr. Cristina Busch, with the initial aim of developing ecophysiological and behavioral studies in subterranean rodents of the genus Ctenomys (tuco-tucos). This genus comprises more than 50 species, resulting from a strictly South American evolutionary radiation, with its greatest diversity concentrated in Argentina. All of these species have evolved under the particular conditions of the subterranean environment: high humidity, darkness, limited ventilation, low oxygen concentrations, high levels of carbon dioxide, relatively stable temperatures, and protection from predation.

Our research focuses particularly on the talas tuco-tuco (Ctenomys talarum), which inhabits grasslands and coastal dunes in Buenos Aires Province and significantly affects its environment through burrowing activity and feeding on vegetation. During the first stage of our research, we addressed life-history, energetics, and thermoregulation, subsequently expanding our work to population genetics, sensory biology, and territorial and reproductive behavior. This knowledge enabled us to evaluate and integrate physiological and behavioral responses to the multiple challenges faced by these organisms in nature (reviews in: Busch et al. 2000, Antenucci et al. 2007, Schleich and Francescoli 2018, Luna et al. 2020, Fanjul et al. 2021).

More recently, we have incorporated research lines focused on the endocrinology of the gonadal and stress axes, animal personality, and ecoimmunology. From this perspective, we assess physiological, behavioral, and cognitive adjustments to natural stressors, particularly predation risk, as well as to anthropogenic factors such as urbanization. From a Conservation Physiology perspective, this information is essential for estimating population viability and assessing animal welfare, constituting a valuable tool for scientific research and conservation practice. Within the framework of Ecoimmunology, we investigate the factors that influence variation in immune function and disease susceptibility -key aspects for understanding disease ecology- focusing on functional trade-offs that occur during an immune challenge. In the context of climate change, we evaluate the effectts of environmental temperature variation on immune responses, energy metabolism, and water balance.