Andean leaf-eared mouse adapts to an unrivalled high life

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Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST July 24 : High up on volcano summits, the Andean leaf-eared mouse is showing how life can thrive in places where humans cannot. This plucky rodent, according to researchers, has evolved an unusual mix of metabolic and genetic adaptations that help it survive across the broadest elevation range known for any mammal.This mouse, known for its rounded leaf-shaped ears, inhabits a punishing landscape: from the desert coast of northern Chile to the crest of the Andes, the vast mountain range running along the west coast of South America.

No other mammal is known to live at such high elevations. "On the summits of approximately 22,000 feet (6,700 meters) peaks where we have trapped these mice, there is less than half the oxygen that is available at sea level, and temperatures are almost always below freezing," said University of Nebraska evolutionary biologist Jay Storz, leader of the research published in the journal Science. "With proper acclimatization, a well-trained mountain climber can tolerate the lack of oxygen at such heights during a one-day summit attempt, but such elevations far exceed the limits of long-term human survival," Storz added.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less To understand how the species copes, researchers analysed whole-genome data from 167 of these mice collected across the elevation range of the species. The findings indicate that the success of this mouse lies in how its body handles energy and oxygen at the same time."When a mammal is challenged by extreme cold, it relies on metabolic heat production to maintain a constant body temperature.

This ... requires oxygen as fuel. Since there is less oxygen at high elevation, mammals that live in such environments make metabolic adjustments to use oxygen more economically," Storz said.

The mice collected at extreme elevations differed physiologically from those collected at lower elevations. The highland mice turned out to better maintain thermogenic capacity – t