Animal activity around-the-clock with no overt circadian rhythms: patterns, mechanisms, and adaptive value

Bloch, G., Barnes, B.M., Gerkema, M.P. and Helm, B. (2013) Animal activity around-the-clock with no overt circadian rhythms: patterns, mechanisms, and adaptive value. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, 280(1765),

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Abstract

Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous in many organisms. Animals that are forced to be active around-the-clock typically show reduced performance, health, and survival. Nevertheless, we review evidence of animals showing prolonged intervals of activity with attenuated or nil overt circadian rhythms and no apparent ill effects. We show that around-the-clock and ultradian activity patterns are more common than generally appreciated, particularly in herbivores and in animals inhabiting polar regions and habitats with constant physical environments, in animals during specific life history stages, such as migration or reproduction, and in highly social animals. The underlying mechanisms are diverse, but studies suggest that some circadian pacemakers continue to measure time in around-theclock active animals. The prevalence of around-the-clock activity in diverse animals and habitats and an apparent diversity of underlying mechanisms are consistent with convergent evolution. We suggest that the basic organizational principles of the circadian system and its complexity encompass the potential for chronobiological plasticity. There may be tradeoffs between benefits of persistent daily rhythms versus plasticity, which for still poorly understood reasons makes overt daily arrhythmicity functionally adaptive only in selected habitats and for selected lifestyles.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Helm, Dr Barbara
Authors: Bloch, G., Barnes, B.M., Gerkema, M.P., and Helm, B.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences
Publisher:The Royal Society
ISSN:0962-8452
Published Online:03 July 2013

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