Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Volume 276, Issue 1663, Pages 1921-1927Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1936
Keywords
daily energy expenditure; ambient temperature; activity time; metabolic niche; weasel; doubly labelled water
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Funding
- Polish Committee for Scientific Research [3 P04F 05125, 2 P04F 01329]
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We studied factors influencing daily energy expenditures (DEE) of male least weasels (Mustela nivalis) using the doubly labelled water technique. The relationship between ambient temperature and DEE formed a triangular pattern, characterized by invariance of the maximum DEE and an inverse relationship between minimum DEE and temperature. A simple energetic model relating the DEE of male weasels to activity time (AT) and ambient temperature predicted that, across seasons, less than 10 per cent of measurements approach the upper bound of observed DEE. Male weasels were able to maintain a relatively constant maximum energy output across varying temperatures by adjusting their AT to changes in temperature. They achieved maximum energy expenditures in winter due to high thermoregulatory costs, and in spring and summer due to high levels of physical activity. This pattern exemplifies a 'metabolic niche' of a small mammal having extremely high energy expenditures primarily driven by ambient temperature.
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