能量代谢的适应性调节，以及体重和脂肪累积的可塑性变化是许多动物的重要生物学特征，对其应对极端环境，提高生存机会具有重要意义。在不同环境下小型哺乳动物体重和脂肪累积呈现“上调”和“下调”，暗示“调定点”的存在，然而该“调定点”的模式、影响因素和能量学机制尚不清楚。本项目拟研究温度（梯度低温和暖温）、食物资源（食物短缺和丰富）和捕食压力（被捕食风险存在与否）对黑线仓鼠能量代谢影响，从整体(能量收支等)、器官组织(组织学形态和消化酶活性等)、细胞(线粒体呼吸率等)、激素(血清瘦素和皮质酮水平等)、分子(解偶联蛋白和神经肽基因或蛋白表达等)和转录组学（基因差异表达分析）各个层次整合研究“调定点”模式及能量学特征，旨在阐明动物在体重和脂肪累积可塑性“上调”和“下调”之间的权衡策略，揭示其可塑性变化的能量学机理、调控网络和分子机制，进一步理解动物的生活史特征，及其应对环境变化的生存策略和适应机理。

The adaptive regulations of energy metabolism and the plasticity of body mass and fat accumulation are important biological characters in variety of animals, which is of great significance to increase the opportunities in response to extreme environment. In small mammals, body mass and fat accumulation are increased under some situations but are decreased in other conditions, indicating there may be a “set-point”. However, it is unknown how the “set-point” works, which environmental factors affect it, or how the mechanisms of energy metabolism run. In the present study, the effects of temperature (gradient decrease in temperature and warm), food availability (food shortage and plenty) and predation pressure (the existence or non-existence of predators) on energy metabolism in striped hamsters. The model and energetic characters of the “set-point” have been studied based on integrative measurements of whole organism (energy intake and expenditure), organs and tissues (histology morphology and activity of digestive enzyme), cell (rate of mitochondria respiratory), hormones (serum leptin and corticosterone), molecular (mRNA expression and protein expression of uncoupling protein and neuropeptide) and transcriptomics (RNASeq analysis of different genes expression). We aim to explore the trade-off strategy between the up-regulation and down-regulation of plasticity of body mass and fat accumulation. Further, the mechanisms of energetics, regulation network and molecular mechanisms underlining the plasticity will be elucidated. Finally, the data from this study will help to understand the characters of life history, as well as the survival strategy and adaptive mechanisms in response to environmental changes in small mammals.