Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Pagano AM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10864307 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period.
Pagano Anthony M AM Rode Karyn D KD Lunn Nicholas J NJ McGeachy David D Atkinson Stephen N SN Farley Sean D SD Erlenbach Joy A JA Robbins Charles T CT
Nature communications 20240213 1
Declining Arctic sea ice is increasing polar bear land use. Polar bears on land are thought to minimize activity to conserve energy. Here, we measure the daily energy expenditure (DEE), diet, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of 20 different polar bears on land over 19-23 days from August to September (2019-2022) in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears on land exhibited a 5.2-fold range in DEE and 19-fold range in activity, from hibernation-like DEEs to levels approaching active bears on ...[more]
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