The energetic cost of arousal from torpor in the marsupial Sminthopsis macroura : benefits of summer ambient temperature cycles |
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Authors: | B G Lovegrove G Körtner F Geiser |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa e-mail: lovegrove@zoology.unp.ac.za Tel.: +27-331-2605113, Fax: +27-331-2605105, ZA;(2) Department of Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia, GB |
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Abstract: | The costs of arousal from induced torpor were measured in the striped-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura; ca. 25 g) under two experimental ambient temperature cycles. The sinusoidal-type temperature cycles were designed to evaluate
the effects of passive, ambient temperature heating during arousal from torpor in these insectivorous marsupials. It was hypothesised
that diel ambient temperature cycles may offer significant energy savings during arousal in animals that employ daily torpor
in summer as a response to unpredictable food availability. The cost of arousal in animals in which passive, exogenous heating
occurred was significantly lower than that in animals not exposed to an ambient temperature cycle. The total cost of all three
phases of torpor (entry, maintenance and arousal) was almost halved when animals were exposed to an ambient heating cycle
from 15 °C to 25 °C over a 24-h period. In all animals, irrespective of the experimental ambient temperature cycle employed,
the minimum torpor body temperature was 17–18 °C. The body temperature (Tb) of animals exposed to exogenous heating increased from the torpor Tb minimum to a mean value of 22.59 °C before endogenous heat production commenced. This relatively small increase in Tb of ca. 5 °C through `free' passive heating was sufficient to account for the significant ca. three-fold decrease in the cost
of arousal and may represent an important energetic aid to free-ranging animals.
Accepted: 4 October 1998 |
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Keywords: | Sminthopsis macroura Marsupial Torpor Arousal Unpredictable environments |
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