Abstract
The effects of low ambient temperature and of social factors on the physiological condition of subadult European wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) during the winter season were studied in a population living under semi-natural conditions. Total serum protein, serum concentration of ß-hydroxybutyrate and body mass were monitored monthly and percentage of glycated haemoglobin was determined once in late winter. Social integration of subadults was assessed by direct observations. A close relationship between fluctuations of ambient temperature, serum protein levels and body mass was found. The results indicate that protein reserves rather than body lipids but were the important energy resource of subadult rabbits during the winter season. Negative effects on physiological parameters were closely related to higher mortality rates and to a shortened survival time respectively. The percentage of glycated haemoglobin and levels of serum protein were correlated with the degree of social integration whereas the relation to serum protein was only apparent in dispersers. I hypothesize that the negative physiological effects of the cold on subadults can be reduced either by mechanisms of social support and/or by thermoregulatory benefit.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Eisermann K, Meier B, Khaschei M, von Holst D (1992) Ethophysiological responses to overwinter food shortage in wild European rabbits. Physiol Behav 54: 973–980
Cohen S (1988) Psychosocial models of the role of social support in the ethiology of physical disease. Health Psychology 7(3): 269–297
Folling I (1990) The clinical value of glycated haemoglobin and glycated plasma proteins. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl 202: 95–98
Garson PJ (1986) Intraspecific influences on juvenile recruitment rate in rabbits: Observational and experimental evidence from a study in coastal duneland habitat. Mammal Rev 16(3/4): 195–196
Gibb, JA (1977) Factors affecting population density in the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), and their relevance to small mammals. In: Stonehouse B, Perrins CM (eds.) Evolutionary Ecology, McMillan London, pp 33–46
Goodman MN, Larsen PR, Kaplan MM, Aoki TT, Young VR, Ruderman NB (1980) Starvation in the rat. II. Effects of age and obesity on protein sparing and fuel metabolism. Am J Physiol 239: E277-E286
Grande F (1964) Man under caloric deficiency. In: Handbook of Physiology. Adaption to the Environment. Washington, DC: Am Physiol Soc, 1964, sect 4, chapt 59, pp 911–937
Holst D v, Hutzelmeyer HD, Kaetzke P, Khaschei M, Schönheiter R (1999) Social rank, stress, fitness, and life expectancy in wild rabbits. Naturwissenschaften 86: 388–393
Khaschei M, Hutzelmeyer HD, von Holst D (1993) Social integration: a condition for survival in young European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.). Proc Ger Zool Soc 86.1: 253
Künkele J, Holst D v (1996) Natal dispersal in the European wild rabbit. Anim Behav 51: 1047–1059
Milner JM, Elston DA, Albon SD (1999) Estimating the contributions of population density and climatic fluctuations to interannual variation in survival of Soay sheep. J Anim Ecol 68: 1235–1247
Murray DL, Keith LB, Cary JR (1998) Do parasitism and nutritional status interact to affect production in snowshoe hares? Ecology 79(4): 1209–1222
Myers K, Bults HG, Gilbert N (1977) Stress in the rabbit, Part XI in the series “The biology of the wild rabbit in climatically different regions in eastern Australia”. Aust J Ecol: 103–136
Mykytowycz R, Fullagar PJ (1973) Effects of social environment on reproduction in the rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.). J Reprod Fert, Suppl 19: 503–522
Post E, Stenseth NC (1998) Large-scale climatic fluctuation and population dynamics of moose and white-tailed deer. J Anim Ecol 67: 537–543
Robin JP, Frain M, Sardet C, Groscolas R, Le Maho Y (1988) Protein and lipid utilization during long-term fasting in emperor penguins. Am J Physiol 254: R61-R68
Schultz LA, Collier G, Johnson DF (1999) Behavioral strategies in the cold: Effects of feeding and nesting costs. Physiol Behav 67(1): 107–115
Stryer L (1986) Biochemistry. Freeman, New York
Tyndale-Biscoe CM, Williams RM (1955) A study of natural mortality in a wild population of the rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.). New Zealand J. of Science and Technology 36: 561–580
Wallage-Drees JM (1986) Seasonal changes in the condition of rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), in a coastal sand dune habitat. Z. Säugetierkunde 51: 26–36
Wallage-Drees JM, Deinum B (1986) Quality of the diet selected by wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.)) in autumn and winter. Neth J Zool 36(4): 438–448
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Rödel, H.G. (2000). Low Temperature Effects and Social Influences on Physiological Condition of Subadult Wild Rabbits. In: Heldmaier, G., Klingenspor, M. (eds) Life in the Cold. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04162-8_53
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04162-8_53
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08682-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-04162-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive