Journal article
Post-fire recovery of torpor and activity patterns of a small mammal
Biology Letters, Vol.13(5), pp.1-5
2017
PMCID: PMC5454238
PMID: 28515330
Abstract
To cope with the post-fire challenges of decreased availability of food and shelter, brown antechinus, a small marsupial mammal, increase the use of energy-conserving torpor and reduce activity. However, it is not known how long it takes for animals to resume pre-fire torpor and activity patterns during the recovery of burnt habitat. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that antechinus will adjust torpor use and activity after a fire depending on vegetation recovery. We simultaneously quantified torpor and activity patterns for female antechinus from three adjacent areas: (i) the area of a management burn 1 year post-fire, (ii) an area that was burned 2 years prior, and (iii) a control area. In comparison to shortly after the management burn, antechinus in all three groups displayed less frequent and less pronounced torpor while being more active. We provide the first evidence that only 1 year post-fire antechinus resume pre-fire torpor and activity patterns, probably in response to the return of herbaceous ground cover and foraging opportunities.
Details
- Title
- Post-fire recovery of torpor and activity patterns of a small mammal
- Authors
- Clare Stawski (Author) - University of New EnglandTaylor Hume (Author) - University of New EnglandGerhard Körtner (Author) - University of New EnglandShannon E Currie (Author) - University of New EnglandJulia Nowack (Author) - University of New EnglandFritz Geiser (Author) - University of New England
- Publication details
- Biology Letters, Vol.13(5), pp.1-5
- Publisher
- Royal Society Publishing
- DOI
- 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0036
- ISSN
- 1744-957X
- PMID
- 28515330; PMC5454238
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99630139702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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