Investigating the role of climate on juvenile Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis) growth and behavior
Abstract
Changes to climate can have a variety of consequences on organisms across all taxa. Though we are seeing climate changes across the globe, these effects can often be greater in high-elevation regions. For mammals in these environments, climate change can alter phenology, survival, and reproduction. Increasing temperatures have also been found to affect body mass, though this has been inadequately explored. This study investigated the effects of climate on the body mass and behavior of a high-elevation, hibernating small mammal, the golden-mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis). We compared the temperature and precipitation faced during a critical two-week growth period in juvenile ground squirrels to daily growth rates to determine any effects of climatic conditions on development. Additionally, we monitored juvenile squirrel behavior to compare time spent above ground and foraging to the temperature during that time. We found that temperature does significantly negatively affect time spent above ground and foraging, and that number of days with rain during the growth period was a significant negative predictor of growth rate. Furthermore, the number of days over 25 °C was a significant positive predictor of growth rate. Additionally, we found that year and maternal ID accounted for up 15% and 30% of the variation in growth rate, respectively. Together, these results aid in our understanding of how climate and other variables can affect body mass and behavior in small mammals.
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References (33)
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