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Winter weather versus group thermoregulation: what determines survival in hibernating mammals?

  • Population ecology - Original research
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Abstract

For socially hibernating mammals, the effectiveness of huddling as a means of energy conservation should increase with group size. However, group size has only been linked to increased survival in a few hibernating species, and the relative importance of social structure versus winter conditions during hibernation remains uncertain. We studied the influence of winter weather conditions, social group composition, age-structure, and other environmental factors and individual attributes on the overwinter survival of hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) in the Yukon Territory, Canada. Juvenile hoary marmot survival was negatively correlated with the mean winter (November to May) Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) index. Survival in older age-classes was negatively correlated with PDO lagged by 1 year. Social group size and structure were weakly correlated with survival in comparison to PDO. The relationship between winter PDO and survival was most likely due to the importance of snowpack as insulation during hibernation. The apparent response of hoary marmots to changing winter conditions contrasted sharply with those of other marmot species and other mammalian alpine herbivores. In conclusion, the severity of winter weather may constrain the effectiveness of group thermoregulation in socially hibernating mammals.

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Acknowledgments

Funding was provided by Environment Canada, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) Science Grants program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canada Research Chairs Program, and the Canadian Circumpolar Institute, University of Alberta. We are also grateful to Kluane First Nations for allowing use of their land, and to the numerous field assistants who helped to trap marmots for this study. All trapping procedures were approved by the University of Alberta Biosciences Animal Policy and Welfare Committee. Evan Cooch provided valuable assistance with MARK and mark–recapture analyses.

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  1. V. P. Patil

    Present address: Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska, 211 Irving 1, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA

  2. T. J. Karels

    Present address: Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St, Northridge, CA, 91330-8303, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada

    V. P. Patil, S. F. Morrison, T. J. Karels & D. S. Hik

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  1. V. P. Patil
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Correspondence to V. P. Patil.

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Communicated by Jean-Michel Gaillard.

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Patil, V.P., Morrison, S.F., Karels, T.J. et al. Winter weather versus group thermoregulation: what determines survival in hibernating mammals?. Oecologia 173, 139–149 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-013-2612-0

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