Photoperiodicity and increasing salinity as environmental cues for reproduction in desert adapted rodents

Understanding the ways environmental signals, regulate reproduction and reproductive behavior of desert adapted rodents is a major gap in our knowledge. In this study, we assessed the roles of photoperiod and diet salinity, as signals for reproduction. We challenged desert adapted common spiny mice, Acomys cahirinus, males and females with osmotic stress, by gradually increasing salinity in their water source — from 0.9% to 5% NaCl under short and long days (SD and LD, respectively).Photoperiodicity affected testosterone levels, as under LD-acclimation, levels were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than under SD-acclimation. Salinity treatment (ST) significantly reduced SD-acclimated male body mass (Wb) and testis mass (p < 0.005; normalized to Wb). ST-LD-females significantly (p < 0.005) decreased progesterone levels and the numbers of estrous cycles. A reduction in white adipose tissue (WAT) to an undetectable level was noted in ST-mice of both sexes under both photoperiod regimes. Receptors for vasopressin (VP) and aldosterone were revealed on testes of all male groups and on WAT in control groups.Our results suggest that photoperiod serves as an initial signal while water availability, expressed by increased salinity in the water source, is an ultimate cue for regulation of reproduction, in both sexes of desert-adapted A. cahirinus. We assume that environmental changes also affect behavior, as water seeking behavior by selecting food items, or locomotor activity may change in extreme environment, and thus indirectly affect reproduction and reproductive behavior. The existence of VP and aldosterone receptors in the gonads and WAT suggests the involvement of osmoregulatory hormones in reproductive control of desert adapted rodents.

► Desert adapted rodents still depend on photoperiodic signals for initiating of their reproduction.
► Water availability in the habitat is used as the proximal signal for reproduction activation.
► Acclimation to high salinity eliminated WAT from mice.
► Vasopressin and aldosterone may affect the reproductive system through their receptors which are expressed in testis and WAT.