Needing a drink: Rainfall and temperature drive the use of free water by a threatened arboreal folivore.

ABSTRACT: Arboreal folivores are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of extreme climate change-driven heatwaves and droughts as they rely on leaf moisture to maintain hydration. During these increasingly frequent and intense weather events, leaf water content may not be enough to meet their moisture requirements, potentially leading to large-scale mortality due to dehydration. Water supplementation could be critical for the conservation of these animals. We tested artificial water stations for a threatened arboreal folivore, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), as a potential mitigation measure during hot and dry weather in New South Wales, Australia. We provided ground and tree drinkers to koalas and investigated changes in use with season, environmental conditions and foliar moisture. Our study

SUBMITTER: Mella VSA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6541247 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature