Journal article
Can hibernators sense and evade fires? Olfactory acuity and locomotor performance during deep torpor
The Science of Nature - Naturwissenschaften , Vol.103, pp.1-7
2016
PMID: 27550313
Abstract
Increased habitat fragmentation, global warming and other human activities have caused a rise in the frequency of wildfires worldwide. To reduce the risks of uncontrollable fires, prescribed burns are generally conducted during the colder months of the year, a time when in many mammals torpor is expressed regularly. Torpor is crucial for energy conservation, but the low body temperatures (T-b) are associated with a decreased responsiveness and torpid animals might therefore face an increased mortality risk during fires. We tested whether hibernators in deep torpor (a) can respond to the smell of smoke and (b) can climb to avoid fires at T(b)s below normothermic levels. Our data show that torpid eastern pygmy-possums (Cercartetus nanus) are able to detect smoke and also can climb. All males aroused from torpor when the smoke stimulus was presented at an ambient temperature (T-a) of 15 degrees C (Tb similar to 18 degrees C), whereas females only raised their heads. The responses were less pronounced at Ta 10 degrees C. The first coordinated movement of possums along a branch was observed at a mean Tb of 15.6 degrees C, and animals were even able to climb their prehensile tail when they reached a mean Tb of 24.4 degrees C. Our study shows that hibernators can sense smoke and move at low Tb. However, our data also illustrate that at Tb <= 13 degrees C, C. nanus show decreased responsiveness and locomotor performance and highlight that prescribed burns during winter should be avoided on very cold days to allow torpid animals enough time to respond.
Details
- Title
- Can hibernators sense and evade fires? Olfactory acuity and locomotor performance during deep torpor
- Authors
- Julia Nowack (Author) - University of New EnglandMarine Delesalle (Author) - University of New EnglandClare Stawski (Author) - University of New EnglandFritz Geiser (Author) - University of New England
- Publication details
- The Science of Nature - Naturwissenschaften , Vol.103, pp.1-7
- Publisher
- Springer
- Date published
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00114-016-1396-6
- ISSN
- 1432-1904; 0028-1042
- PMID
- 27550313
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99640678902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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