SEASONAL THERMOGENESIS OF SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRRELS (<i>GLAUCOMYS VOLANS</i>)

Merritt, Joseph F.; Zegers, David A.; Rose, Lynda R.

doi:10.1644/1545-1542(2001)082<0051:stosfs>2.0.co;2

Cited by 55 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…Our year-round research conducted in the Appalachian Mountains compared seasonal changes in thermogenesis of G. volans nesting communally residing in an outdoor enclosure to squirrels nesting singly and housed in an outdoor laboratory (Merritt et al 2001b). We determined and corroborated research attesting to the importance of social thermoregulation in combating cold by southern flying squirrels (Stapp et al 1991, Stapp 1992.…”

Section: Flying Squirrelsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Animals procured for study resided in a mixed deciduous forest dominated by beech Fagus grandifolia, sugar maple Acer saccharum, yellow poplar Liriodendron tulipifera, and red oak Quercus rubra. Site details and procedures associated with live trapping and processing of small mammals are outlined in Merritt (1986Merritt ( , 1995, Zegers and Merritt (1988), Merritt and Zegers (1991), and Merritt et al (2001b).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following metabolic trials, animals were released at the point of capture (Merritt 1986, 1995, Zegers and Merritt 1988, and Merritt and Zegers 1991. This protocol varied for G. volans as they were housed in an outdoor laboratory (single nesters) and outdoor enclosure (group nesters) (Merritt et al 2001b).…”

Section: Laboratory Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, we assessed the role of NST in cold hardiness of these small arboreal squirrels. Average NST was lowest in summer and peaked in winter demonstrating an inverse correlation with minimum ambient temperature (Merritt et al 2001b). However, there was minimal difference in the elevation of NST above baseline RMR between solitary and communal squirrels (Fig.…”

Section: Flying Squirrelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maximizing survivorship in cold: thermogenic profiles of non-hibernating mammals

Merritt

Zegers

2002

Acta Theriol

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2002. Maximizing survivorship in cold: thermogenic profiles of non-hibernating mammals. [In: Theriology at the turn of a new century. J. Gliwicz, ed]. Acta Theriologica 47, Suppl. 1: 221-234.Winter-active small mammals residing in seasonal environments employ many different behavioral, anatomical and physiological mechanisms to cope with cold. Herein we review research on survival mechanisms in cold employed by small mammals with emphasis on the families Soricidae, Muridae and Sciuridae. The focus of this review is on research delineating the role of seasonal changes in resting metabolic rate (RMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), body mass, and communal nesting in enhancing winter survivorship of six species of small mammals (masked shrew Sorex cinereus, short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicauda, southern red-backed vole Clethrionomys gapperi, white-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus, deer mouse P. maniculatus, and southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans) residing in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA. Each species shows good over-winter survivorship but exhibits a different suite of mechanisms to maximize survival in cold. B. brevicauda, S. cinereus, and G. volans show slight increases in RMR during winter, whereas Peromyscus and C. gapperi exhibit decreased RMR overwinter. All six species experience elevated NST in winter. The comparatively low RMR and NST of G. volans during winter was attributable to a decreased energy expenditure due to a larger body mass, coupled with communal nesting in cavities of trees that provided insulation from low ambient temperatures. Squirrels nesting singly experienced a longer period of elevated NST in winter and higher mean NST year-round than did squirrels nesting communally. Energy conservation in the form of growth retardation in winter was exhibited by C. gapperi and S. cinereus but not the other species.

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Section: Flying Squirrelsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Laboratory Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Flying Squirrelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Maximizing survivorship in cold: thermogenic profiles of non-hibernating mammals

Merritt

Zegers

2002

Acta Theriol

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“…Flying squirrels are social animals that form aggregations in winter (Cotton and Parker 2000;Nupp and Swihart 2000), allowing them to conserve energy while maintaining thermal equilibrium (Stapp et al 1991;Merritt et al 2001;Bowman et al 2005;Garroway et al 2010). Group nesting is a form of positive density dependence, or Allee effect, which results in increased survival and ultimately fitness (Courchamp et al 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patch occupancy by squirrels in fragmented deciduous forest: effects of behavior

Walpole

Bowman

2010

Acta Theriol

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We tested whether species-specific behavioral traits could explain patterns of habitat patch occupancy by five different squirrel species in Ontario, Canada: the northern and southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus and Glaucomys volans), the North American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus), and the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Flying squirrel species exhibit group nesting in winter, which may put them at risk of extirpation in small patches with few individuals to contribute to group nests. Flying squirrels are also volant, potentially making non-treed matrix a barrier. Our surveys revealed that G. sabrinus was most likely to occur in large patches that were embedded in landscapes with low connectivity, and least likely to occur in small patches in highly connected landscapes. Conversely, G. volans was most likely to occur in large, well-connected patches and least likely to occur in small, unconnected patches. Patch occupancy by the cursorial squirrels was not strongly influenced by patch area or isolation. These findings reinforce previous studies suggesting that an understanding of species-specific traits such as behavior is an important consideration when interpreting habitat fragmentation effects.

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Effect of season on thermoregulation, metabolism and ventilation of the southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus (Marsupialia: Peramelidae)

Larcombe

Withers

2008

J. Exp. Zool.

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Seasonal variation in various thermoregulatory, metabolic and ventilatory parameters was examined for southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) from a Mediterranean climate near Perth, Western Australia. There was significant seasonal variation over the four annual seasons at thermoneutrality (Ta=30 degrees C) in body temperature, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, total evaporative water loss, wet and dry thermal conductance and tidal volume but not mass, ventilatory frequency, minute volume or oxygen extraction efficiency. Only carbon dioxide production and respiratory exchange ratio showed an annual pattern that was significantly related to season, with both being significantly higher in winter, presumably as a result of greater and higher quality food availability.

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SEASONAL THERMOGENESIS OF SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRRELS (GLAUCOMYS VOLANS)

Cited by 55 publications

References 55 publications

Maximizing survivorship in cold: thermogenic profiles of non-hibernating mammals

Maximizing survivorship in cold: thermogenic profiles of non-hibernating mammals

Patch occupancy by squirrels in fragmented deciduous forest: effects of behavior

Effect of season on thermoregulation, metabolism and ventilation of the southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus (Marsupialia: Peramelidae)

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