Holarctic marmots as a factor of biodiversity
Abstract
Emergence mass is highly correlated with immergence mass, but explains about 55% of the variation. There is a 2- fold difference in body mass among marmot species. Total mass loss during hibernation is correlated with immergence mass. All measures of mass loss are correlated with each other. Big species may be big because they require the use of considerable mass during hibernation; however, mass loss is not significantly correlated with the length of hibernation. Body mass is related to the age of first reproduction and length of the active season. Environmental harshness may provide a unifying theme that integrates life-history traits and patterns of mass loss. Evidence for environmental harshness is derived from patterns of female reproduction, mass loss following emergence, variation in home-range size, time of mating, and reproductive skipping. The major sources of mass loss are maintenance during hibernation, reproduction, social thermoregulation, and post-emergence environmental stress. The importance of these four sources of mass loss vary among species and should determine the differences in body mass among species of marmots. Patterns of mass loss are related to social systems.
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