Stawski C, Simmonds EG. Contrasting physiological responses to habitat degradation in two arboreal mammals.
iScience 2021;
24:103453. [PMID:
34988391 PMCID:
PMC8710554 DOI:
10.1016/j.isci.2021.103453]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To cope with the challenges presented by habitat degradation and loss, animals must often respond by adjusting physiological and behavioral mechanisms. Here we quantified physiological and behavioral traits, including body temperature and food consumption, of two mammals with differing thermoregulatory strategies in response to changes in climate and habitat. We show that both species responded to challenging climatic conditions by increasing torpor use to save energy, yet their responses were impacted by varying vegetation levels. Sugar gliders decreased torpor use in a dense habitat likely due to a signal of greater food production and protection from predators. Conversely, eastern pygmy possums employed more torpor perhaps to build up fat reserves in anticipation of leaner times. Indeed, in dense habitat eastern pygmy possums did not alter food intake yet showed an increase in body mass, whereas sugar gliders consumed less food and lost body mass, revealing the large energetic savings provided by torpor.
Physiological responses to habitat degradation differ among mammals
Hibernating eastern pygmy possums employ less torpor in degraded habitat
Whereas sugar gliders, daily heterotherms, employ more torpor in degraded habitat
These differing responses are perhaps due to perceived predation risk
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