Quantifying energetic and fitness consequences of seasonal heterothermy in an Arctic ungulate.

ABSTRACT: Animals have adapted behavioral and physiological strategies to conserve energy during periods of adverse conditions. Heterothermy is one such adaptation used by endotherms. While heterothermy-fluctuations in body temperature and metabolic rate-has been shown in large vertebrates, little is known of the costs and benefits of this strategy, both in terms of energy and in terms of fitness. Hence, our objective was to model the energetics of seasonal heterothermy in the largest Arctic ungulate, the muskox (Ovibos moschatus), using an individual-based energy budget model of metabolic physiology. We found that the empirically based drop in body temperature (winter max ~-0.8°C) overwinter in adult females resulted in substantial fitness benefits in terms of reduced daily energy expenditur

SUBMITTER: Desforges JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7790657 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature