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Sperm Motility in Bank (Clethrionomys glareolus) and Northern Red-backed Voles (Cl. rutilus) Exposed to Industrial Pollution

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Abstract—The motility of epididymal sperm cells in two closely related rodent species, bank vole (Clethrio-nomys glareolus, n = 71) and northern red-backed vole (Cl. rutilus, n = 52), from the vicinities of two copper smelters in the Middle Urals was studied with regard to the functional group of animals (mature young of the year and overwintered individuals). The proportion of motile cells (Motile) and parameters of their motility (VCL, VSL, VAP, ALH, BCF, STR, LIN) were determined using the MouseTraxx computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) system (Hamilton Thorne, United States). These parameters proved to be species-specific: sperm velocity (VCL, VSL, VAP) and linearity of movement (LIN) in Cl. glareolus were higher, while head beat cross frequency (BCF) was lower than in Cl. rutilus. Sperm motility in both species showed no dependence on sampling region or functional group. Its parameters in Cl. rutilus did not differ between plots with different pollution levels, while in Cl. glareolus the proportion of motile cells (Motile) and their velocity (VCL) were lower in in animals from the impact than from the background zone. However, pollution accounted for only 8 and 9% of variation in test parameters, respectively; i.e., the parameters of sperm motility in rodents from natural populations have low sensitivity to pollution.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author is grateful to E.L. Vorobeichik for discussion of the results and to Yu.A. Davydova for her unerring help and support.

Funding

This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 19-34-90004.

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  1. Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 620144, Yekaterinburg, Russia

    G. Yu. Smirnov

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Smirnov, G.Y. Sperm Motility in Bank (Clethrionomys glareolus) and Northern Red-backed Voles (Cl. rutilus) Exposed to Industrial Pollution. Russ J Ecol 53, 48–57 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413622010106

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